Hello everyone, my name is David Ewen. Welcome to my website.

I was born in Prince George, BC. and raised in an unique area of the city. My elementary school was a diverse mix of First Nations, newly landed immigrants, and those of us with European backgrounds. With such a mixed group, my teachers did an amazing job fostering respect in students for other cultures and nationalities. I believe this upbringing is what sparked my passion for both teaching and learning about other cultures.

After graduating high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to do something different, and when I was 22 years old, I had a chance to go abroad. I left my job as a baker to teach English in Japan with no experience. The next year introduced me  to a new culture, a new language, and a new perspective on my own country and culture. After returning to Canada, I returned to the University of Victoria to pursue my undergraduate degree in Pacific and Asian Studies, majoring in Japanese with a minor in Chinese studies. The program introduced me to wide sources of knowledge in Asian history, politics, economics, literature, and language, as well as gave me the opportunity to spend a year studying at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan.

My year studying abroad led me to fall in love with Kyoto, and so upon graduating I promptly returned to find a job. I began teaching English at a number of small private schools, mostly tutoring high school students, but then shifted to tutoring research students and doctors from Kyoto’s numerous universities. Eventually I found my dream position teaching English at a large junior and senior high school, Kyoto Gakuen.  I became an assistant home room teacher in the school’s unique International (Kokusai) Program and spent the next four years working with a dedicated team of foreign teachers developing curriculum. Our focus was Global Leadership and we aimed to develop students’ critical thinking skills and cultural awareness. The highlight was accompanying my students each year to their study abroad programs in the U.K. and Canada.

I eventually returned to Canada in 2014 and took a position with a language school. I was keen to use my overseas experience and was tasked with planning and developing a topic-based, 12 week English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course for international students wanting to enter Canadian universities. This experience broadened my teaching experience and cultural understanding, and motivated me to pursue a career in public education. Helping students ‘connect the dots’ is my goal. In the future, students will need a well-rounded and informed view of both Canadian society and an increasingly fragmented yet connected world.

Aside from my love of cultural learning and teaching, in my spare time I love to read, cook, travel, and skateboard. My current interests are First Nations and Indigenous culture, global politics, and the use of technology in education.