During the lockdown, a trio of dynamic and enthusiast people came together to unite Canadians and Canada Fans to get through this difficult time. As promised, we would like to introduce them to you….
Martin Gutsch, Karl Boulé and Tamara Joyette.
First on the list is our very own board member and treasurer Martin Gutsch. As Martin joined the DKG Team, he brought along a fresh wind of positivity and new ideas as well as many new contacts. And one of his ideas is the virtual Canadian Pub Night that came to life with Tamara and Karl…..
Tamara Joyette
„I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada with family roots in the Caribbean.
I love learning languages and travelling. I think that this interest derives from the fact that I grew up in a bilingual environment and a very multicultural city. From the classroom to local festivals, there was always an opportunity to learn about other cultures: to see, hear and taste what makes them so unique and special.
Today, I work as a Change Management and Communication Consultant on projects. I travel to different parts of Germany for my work. It is always nice to meet new people and see new places. But, the cities where I lived will always have a special place in my heart like Nuremberg and Cologne because my every day defines who I am and how I see things.
How did I come to Europe?
While studying at Concordia University in Montreal, I met a lot of foreign students who told me about how nice it is to travel and live abroad.
After completing my studies, I had the opportunity to study the German language in Germany for a few months.
While here, I applied for a Master in International Business program at a local university and I was very happy when I was accepted into the program.
After my studies , I decided to stay for a few years to get some work experience which turned into sixteen years before I knew it. It’s nice living here.
How I met Martin and Karl and how the pub night idea was born?
How did I meet Martin? Well, everybody knows Martin, if you haven‘t met him yet, you certainly will meet him soon. He is so active and engaged in organizing events of all types. I met Martin when a Canadian friend invited me to one of his Kanadatreff meet ups in Düsseldorf.
During a virtual Canadian meet up that Martin organized, I met Karl. In the session, many ideas were shared. Karl, Martin, a friend Philippe and I started talking about setting up a Virtual Canadian Pub Night during the lock down. And, that‘s how it all started.“
Karl Boulé
„I am a proud French Canadian from Montréal Living in Brussels for the last 5 years. I followed my wife to Belgium after she was transferred by a big pharma company. It was our first Expat experience and so far we love it.
My passions are golf, curling and travels. I enjoy watching my Montreal Canadien win the Stanley Cup. I love a good meal and a bottle of wine. I am discovering a lot of great beer in Belgium and throughout Europe.
I especially enjoy learning about different cultures and ways of life and that brought me to join the Canadian Club of Belgium. It allowed us to meet very diverse people with different interests even within Canada. Our country is so vast that I had never interacted with anyone from the West or even the Maritime before.
The creation of the Virtual pub night came about from a joint event between the CCB and the DKG back when life was normal. We had a great time and promised to keep our relationship going. It didn’t take long for Martin to convince me to be part of it. He had me at PUB Night.
About the CCB
Established in 1971, the Canadian Club of Belgium (CCB) is open to all Canadians and friends from other countries (including Belgium). As part of its mission, the Club organizes social events and activities, as well as supports selected Belgian charities. Our biggest fundraiser is the sales of tourtières at Christmas every year.“
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