Bios

I am Rachel from South Korea. I immigrated to Canada in August 2019 but I came to Canada in November 2005 for my husband’s studies. We had a plan to go back to Korea after his studies were over. We hadn’t decided to live in Toronto. I graduated from An-Yang University in South Korea in piano performance and then I studied at Sung-Shin Women's University in South Korea in collaborative piano. When I was young, music was all my life. Fortunately, I had many good chances to win at music festivals, competitions and to be on stages. After entering university, I got more chances to be on stage because I met a good faculty member. After I graduated, I got married to Charles. After getting married, I went back to school to study for my master's degree and worked as a freelancer pianist.

Everything was perfect until I came to Canada. We didn't have any reason to change our life. When Charles decided to study in Toronto, I didn't have any idea. I was just interested in living elsewhere and only interested to relax for a few years. We were young and unrealistic. Anyway, I came to Toronto in November 2005 with Charles and our first son, Joshua. After six years, Charles finished his studies. We began to adjust to Canada's life and our plan changed to stay here. Charles started to work after he graduated, and also I started working as a piano instructor, church pianist and freelancer pianist. After 14 years in Canada, we became immigrants. 

I think life in Canada is my second life. One of the most rewarding things in Canada’s life to me is teaching as a volunteer piano teacher at Jane and Finch Reaching Up Music School since 2009. Jane and Finch is a neighborhood in the northwest end of Toronto. The Jane and Finch community is a high density, multicultural and low-income neighborhood. Many children in Jane and Finch are exposed to social and financial impoverishment, gun violence, drugs, and teenage pregnancies. In November 2007, under Rev Thomas Kim, the “Anti-Poverty Working Group” was formed at University Presbyterian Church. There are two main programs, the homework club and music school. I am so happy and proud to serve them although I am a stranger. I really enjoy spending time and sharing my talent with them. Also, last year, I made a bucket list and started to go through the list one by one. A bucket list is a list of everything that I want to be, have and experience in life. Some of them are to take up playing the violin, travel to Europe with my sister-in-law and travel with my parents. I have already started to take violin lessons once a week. I will do so for ten years. Next year, I will go to Europe with my sister-in-law for two weeks and I'm thinking of travelling with my parents in 2022.

I love my life and try to enjoy my life wherever I am.