You’re never too old to learn says Gu Zhenzhen
Credit to Author: Ramya Ramanathan| Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:34:58 +0000
Chinese-born Gu Zhenzhen moved to Toronto over three decades ago to study magazine journalism. She stayed home for a decade to look after her four children and went back to school when her youngest started kindergarten. She eventually received a bachelor’s degree in education and became a teacher at the Toronto District School Board. Gu has had a wide variety of jobs – from a flower seller to a babysitter, bookseller to a Mandarin teacher. She says these experiences provide her with rich material for her writing. She now works at the Toronto Public Library.
What brought you to Canada?
I was a huge fan of the Taiwanese author San Mao. I read all her books including Stories of the Sahara. In fact, it was her books that inspired me to explore the world. Her famous song ‘Olive Tree’ is my all time favourite: “Don’t ask me where I came from. My hometown is far away…” In 1990, I came to Canada to study journalism.
What were some challenges you faced?
First, I had to face the language barrier. For example, at one magazine journalism class, all I could understand was “detail, detail and detail” and “fact, fact and fact” (They turn out to be very important things in journalism). Second, I felt so homesick as a newcomer. At one point, I had already packed my suitcase and was ready to book a flight home. Then my cousin said to me, “Everyone has gone through a difficult time. But the longer you stay, the more you like here.” I am glad that I listened to his advice. He was right. It takes time and patience to adjust to a new life in Canada. To improve my English, I read a lot of books, fiction and non-fiction.
Can you share a memorable moment in Canada?
In 1992, three days after I sent my article to Toronto Star, the then Life section editor Linwood Barclay (now a New York Times best-selling author) called me and said, “I like your article. I am going to run it.” I was a bit confused about the second sentence. At that time, I didn’t know “run” meant “publish”. “The editor likes my article. That’s good news,” I thought. I put down the phone, ran to the bathroom, looked at myself in the mirror and smiled broadly.
What keep you going when things are tough?
I think about my children. My mother had a sunny personality (I miss her every single day). She always found something positive, even in a tough situation. I want to be like my mother and try to find beauty and joy in everyday life. I would like to pass on the same attitude to my kids and be a role model for them.
What do you enjoy about Canada?
Canada is a country of immigrants. People come from all over the world. Here my friends can be American, British, French, Japanese, South Korean or Taiwanese! Plus, Canada is a beautiful country. Our family has been to so many charming places: Vancouver, Ottawa, Kingston, Algonquin Park, Niagara Falls, Manitoulin Island…we are able to create memories that we will cherish forever.
What is your advice for newcomers?
Make good friends. I had a longtime friend named Frank who was a retired professor. Whenever I wrote an article or a poem, I would send it to him and he would give his feedback and correct my grammatical errors. I called him my personal editor. He passed away seven years ago, but the newspaper he subscribed for me still arrives at my home every weekend!
Dare to challenge yourself. In 2017, I submitted an article to The Globe and Mail. Four days later, it was published in this national newspaper, which was a pleasant surprise to me. If I hadn’t even tried, it would have never happened.
Keep learning. Learning is a lifelong journey. I received a master’s degree in creative and critical writing in my 60s!
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