2024-2025
Lucas Garrido
My name is Lucas, and I am 24 years old. I’ve been in Canada since the end of August 2024. I’m from France, educated by a mix family–half Spanish and half Algerian. I just finished my certificate in English at UQAM. It helped me to gain confidence in myself and to be more at ease to express myself in my second language. During my certificate, I joined the CLIC Program, and I played a part in the creation of the 5th annual CLIC Talk Series and I also created a podcast called Chill, Chats, Vibes. All of this work permits me to meet new people, discover cultures and communicate only in English in a professional environment. It was a really good experience where I was able to support other people and enrich myself with beautiful stories.
Amina Belbezza
My name is Amina, and I am 33 years old. I recently moved here to Canada with my small family. I am from Algeria, one of the sunny countries in North Africa.
As soon as I arrived in Montreal, I decided to enroll in English courses, and I ended up choosing UQAM, a choice I do not regret. The year I spent at UQAM was very rich in terms of encounters, discoveries, and learning.
One of my best experiences, in fact, was the CLIC program. I had the chance to work and interact with extraordinary people with whom I shared wonderful moments. I was able to exchange ideas with highly skilled and cultured individuals, with whom I shared my thoughts and beliefs without any taboos.
I was very honored to be a member of CLIC, and if I had to do it all over again, I would do it with great pleasure.
2023-2024
Amrane Amireche
My name is Amrane. I am 21 years old, and I am finishing my first semester. My goal after obtaining my major in English and English Culture is to go abroad and settle down in another country. I had a close call with death already, and the lesson I learned from it is to do the most with my life!
During the 4th annual CLIC series, I was one of the organizers and one of the presenters. In all honestly, I was more stressed about the organization than my own talk! However, my colleagues and I were able to surmount the odds. The event went better than I expected, and I was happy to be involved in it. I will be more than happy to help with CLIC in the future!
Andres (Andy) Alfaro
Born and raised in Honduras, I migrated to the suburbs of Montreal when I was 9 years old. Even though I’ve always spoken Spanish with my family, I absorbed Quebec’s culture fast and got close to it. I majored in Modern Languages and Culture because languages fascinate me. They strongly influence the ways people think, and I want to raise awareness about what is at stake for me and others like me in a multicultural environment. For me, it is a privilege to be part of the CLIC. It is an important organization for the community in a city with so many cultures and flavours.
Sayaka Ishida
Hello everyone! I’m Sayaka. I came here from Japan in August 2023 as an exchange student. I learned intercultural communication during this experience abroad and I was impressed by people who have different values and expectations. As a second language learner, English gives me an opportunity to talk with a variety of people, and this CLIC project is a space that I feel grateful for because I can communicate and collaborate with people using this second language. I am so grateful to be in a blessed situation.
Natalia Stefirta
My name is Natalia. I’m from Moldova and I study English and French at UQAM.
It’s a great honour to work with the C.L.I.C. Project and to participate in organizing interesting events for others who want to share their life experience of learning. It’s very important to feel that you are not alone, and that your strategies can be helpful to others. For me, the best way to learn is to practice. When you have to communicate with people and try to understand them, this is the real experience. I especially enjoy working in a team that is very inspired, and I do everything in my power to not let my team down. During my time with CLIC, I met a lot of great people who believe in me, and they have helped me believe in myself. I’m really grateful, and I will continue to work in the right direction.
2022-2023
Qiaolong Aideng
I am a Torghut Mongolian from the Bayanbulak Grassland in Xinjiang Province (China). My name is pronounced ‘Erden Ciao-Long‘ in the Oirat dialect. It means ‘precious stone’–the one given by a Shaman to my mother before I was born. He told my mother that she was carrying a boy, and Erden Ciao-Long is his name. A Shaman has a sacred place in our culture, so my mom took this name for me.
I divide my life into two parts. For the first half of my life, the society and environment shaped me. Like other Chinese people, I went with the flow and I tried to be a good person in other peoples’ eyes.
The first years of my life were spent in China. As an ethnic minority, I overcame urban and rural differences, ethnic differences, and language differences. Through my efforts, I achieved a good command of Mandarin, graduated from a good university in China, and found a very good job in a big city. In this first half of my life, I thought I was successful. But I have a seed of freedom in my heart.
At the age of 37, I made a bold decision to go to the Western world and pursue the freedom of taking destiny into my own hands. I can define myself somehow now. Learning other languages, adapting to new cultures, and starting a new life is all very challenging, but it is also very meaningful. Right now, I feel increasingly comfortable and feel as if I am taking root in Montreal. I think my greatest advantage is my courage and kindness. I like this quote from Romain Rolland, “There is only one heroism in the world: to see the world as it is, and to love it.”
Guylaine Pednault
My name is Guylaine. I was born and raised in Laval, and my parents are from Lac St-Jean. I studied at Université de Montréal and obtained a bachelor’s degree in law. I am a recently retired lawyer, a happy mother of 2 children, and grandmother of 4. I joined the language school at UQAM in September 2022 because I want to improve my English and become perfectly bilingual. Learning a new language helps me keep my mind sharp and my brain healthy. It allows me to communicate and connect with others who learn English and gives me the opportunity to meet new people from many countries, opening my mind to other cultures. Being part of CLIC project is a rewarding experience where I explore different perspectives of being an L2 English learner. I meet teachers and students in a warm and inclusive setting where we express our voices with respect and kindness.
Nodoka Kamiya
Hello, こんにちは
My name is Nodoka. I am from Japan as an exchange student and learning English and French.
I started learning English when I was in kindergarten. My mother led me to learn second language, because she thinks English and Music can be used throughout the world. Therefore, I was open to meet people who have different cultural backgrounds. After I entered elementary school, I tried to stay in touch with English learning. Although my knowledge was not bad, my English became rusty, and I lost touch with the multicultural environment I had known. However, when I started to learn languages more deeply, I wanted to study different cultures. Going to Canada was one of my dreams, so I came to Montreal this year. I did not expect that I would get a chance to meet students from so many cultures. CLIC inspires me to learn more about other countries.
I am honored to be part of this project.
Jessie Qiu
Born and raised in China, Jessie moved to Canada 3 years ago. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in teaching English as a second language in China, as well as the certificates of French and English at UQAM. Jessie is working full time, but she’s interested in languages, culture and project management, so she joined the CLIC project, hoping to experience English from a completely new perspective.
2021-2022
Lily Yu-Chie Chang 張玉潔
Meet Lily!
Lily is one of the CLIC members. She is originally from Taiwan and moved to Argentina at a young age. A few years later, Lily moved to Montreal. Therefore, she learned French and later on became a French tutor. She speaks Taiwanese, Mandarin, Spanish and French. Lily grew up around different cultures and languages cultivating this open-mindedness about various languages and cultures. Lily is a gentle and considerate person bringing this valuable energy to the team. The CLIC project is like a home for her because it creates a safe place for sharing diverse subjects about culture, language, identity, and community.
Alicia Di Ciocco
Meet Alicia!
Alicia is one of the CLIC members. French-Canadian and having origins from Italy, she grew up having a vast interest in other languages. By traveling multiple times since a young age, she took interest in Spanish specifically but also in learning about other cultures. In primary school, she was enrolled in a bilingual program where her growing interest in English started. In highschool, she began her journey with Spanish and continued in Cégep by studying in a languages program that combined English and Spanish. For her, CLIC is the perfect place to share experiences and to learn from people with different backgrounds which she finds is very enriching to one’s knowledge.
Bijun (Gloria) Gong 龚碧君
Meet Gloria!
Bijun also called Gloria, is one of the CLIC members. She comes from China and is enriched by all of the learning experiences she accumulated throughout the years. From her studies in China to her studies at a university in France, and then in The United Kingdom, Gloria has mastered the English language as a second language. She has also earned a certificate in French, a certificate in teaching Chinese as a second language, and is now studying modern languages at UQAM, more precisely Spanish and Japanese. She has a passion for learning about other cultures, languages, and of course, a passion for her own traditional Chinese culture. Gloria is a conscientious and admirable individual. For her, the CLIC project is a community and a great place for sharing.
Chrystel Toupin
Meet Chrystel!
Chrystel is one of the CLIC members. She comes from France and rapidly developed an interest in languages, more precisely, English and Spanish. She lived in England to master her English which brought her many experiences with learning English as a second language. Later on, she immigrated to Canada and obtained a certificate in English at UQAM. This certificate made her comprehend that there are multiple English dialects in the world, and by that, she accepts her accent and embraces her own identity. Through Chrystel’s meticulous sense of detail and kind-hearted energy, she brings a lot to the CLIC team.
Alex-Ann
Alex-Ann was born and raised in Montreal and is French-Canadian. She is studying public relations here at UQAM and she joined The CLIC family to meet new people and to get out of her ‘comfort zone’. Alex-Ann has a passion for travelling, being part of CLIC offers the best of both worlds. She gets to meet new people from all around the globe! Cats are her favorite animals on the planet, and she truly is the biggest fan of The Office you will ever meet!
Mariem Babbou
Born and raised in Tunisia, Mariem moved to Montreal in 2017. She is studying International Law and Relations here at UQAM and she is taking a few English classes in order to expand her professional opportunities. At 15, she founded a charity association aiming at helping Tunisian youth and raising money to build schools, which helped her develop her sense of caring and leadership. She has a mind build around meritocratic values and a passion for politics influenced by her country’s journey to democracy. She also writes as a blogger for the Huffington post Maghreb. Mariem proudly embodies two very different cultures and she is hoping to make the world a better place but will always dedicate an important part of her work to her home country.
Assia Benjelloun
Mother of 3, Assia arrived here from Morocco in 1999. She has been a student at UQAM since 2011. She started a short graduate program in higher education pedagogy and she is also enrolled in the English certificate in order to improve her working English skills. Currently working as a part-time instructor and educational counselor in early childhood, she is a very social woman, full of positive energy ready to connect with people. She feels privileged and strongly believes the English program helped her in acquiring the knowledge and reaching the fulfillment she needed in her third learned language, both in spoken and written form; and its friendly and welcoming community and atmosphere made her realize that we are all the same regardless of our origin, religious beliefs, culture, etc. She is now ready to pass on what she knows to her children but also to what she sees growing into a beautiful blossoming student project: the C.L.I.C.
Joanik Boily-Bédard
Alizée Bolduc
Alizée is a student in the English Certificate and is passionate about travelling. Following her completion of a Business Administration and Marketing certificate in 2015, she decided to travel for 8 months all over Asia, Australia and New-Zealand. Ever since, her desire to connect and understand other cultures keeps growing. Besides her passion for travelling, she also loves people. Alizée truly believes that everyone can bring something to each other. She hopes that The C.L.I.C. Project will unite people and change lives.
Yves Gauthier
A student in the English certificate and in the Baccalauréat ès Arts (Certificat en Espagnol 2009, Certificat en Arts Plastiques 2013). He wishes to pursue teaching English as a second language. Fascinated by culture and linguistic, he flirts with literature, theatre and music in many languages. Yves is passionate about travelling which he has been doing now for about 15 years. Interested in human relations in general, he carefully observes his encounters seeking to understand cultural and social differences. Yves endeavours to contribute and enrich to the multicultural and multi-linguistic wealth of UQAM and Montreal. With experience in the immigration field and translation, he possesses skills to create and work with the sociocultural, linguistic and creative issues of the C.L.I.C. project.
Yan Hoy
Originally from China, with a Major in Economics, Yan Hou is now a student of the Majeure en Anglais et Culture Anglophone at UQAM. She has lived with her family in Montreal for more than 4 years. As a fine arts enthusiast, she is attracted by Montreal’s artistic atmosphere. Yan is interested in discovering different cultures and opening up to them; in fact, she holds a similar point of view as Yo-Yo Ma (a French-born American cellist who is also a United Nations’ Messenger of Peace): “Our cultural strength has always been derived from our diversity of understanding and experience”. Yan believes it is crucial to create a community for English learners at UQAM in order to have a sense of belonging for all.