About Me

Hi! I'm Tori, a tiny Canadian, recent graduate of International Relations at UBC Vancouver, and future graduate student of International Development at SFU. I grew up in the suburb of Abbotsford (about an hour and a half away from Vancouver), but I always knew that I wanted to live in Vancouver one day - this is me living out that dream.

Growing up, I was pretty athletic, participating in almost every school sport you can think of (basketball, volleyball, track and field, cross country, baseball, swimming, gymnastics, water polo...), but I found my niche in swimming and competed for 8 years, both locally, regionally, provincially, and nationally. I retired when I was 16 due to a shoulder injury, which was a huge bummer, but I turned all my energy and free time towards my high school's strong leadership program.

Glory days, am I right?

An educational trip with HOPE International in Grade 12 is what geared me towards pursuing a degree in International Relations at UBC with a concentration in Economy and Development. I just graduated with my Bachelor's, and in September 2015 I will be starting my Master's in International Development at Simon Fraser University. My specific research interests lie in the African continent, but most specifically within South Africa, an economic powerhouse on the continent but a country rife with inequality. I traveled here as part of a research trip with the University of Victoria, where I learned about the impacts of South Africa's colonial past on modern day development in both urban and rural settings. It was then that I fell in love with South Africa and its people,  choosing to focus my studies on its history and culture, and how these are inter-related to its development as a state.

Students and friends at the Xitsavi Youth Center in N'wamitwa, Limpopo, South Africa

Following my interest in South Africa, some of my other academic interests include topics of race and racism, oppression, social justice concerning minority groups such as indigenous peoples, NGOs and the global civil society and the role they play in global issues. I do not claim to know everything there is about any of these interests, but I can guarantee that I always try to do my research before making any personal contributions to debates that arise!

Front to back: Betty, Butter, Pippi

Outside of the academic world, I like to eat, sleep, and play those LEGO video games because, come on, they're hilarious! But for real, I love to explore my city, try out new recipes (I'm juuust now learning to cook real food), read, play with my three rats (my fur babies), and plan my next travel adventure(s). On top of that, I love doing all of these things with my girlfriend and partner in crime, Megan, who I'm lucky enough to have and live with in this gorgeous city (check out her blog here!). Traveling is something I am so appreciative of being able to do, especially because I know that not every university student gets to do it as much as I do. I love to learn while I travel, which is probably why I prefer heading somewhere with a purpose in mind rather than to simply vacation; I've been to Nova Scotia to immerse myself in the French language and Acadian culture, to South Africa to study colonial legacies and to learn about Tsonga and Western Cape culture firsthand, and to Europe a few times for leisure, but always with an interest in a place's history and culture. I have been so lucky to have had these experiences, and I can only hope that they will continue.

Pointe-de-l'Église, Nova Scotia, Canada