Pembroke / Petawawa

Emily Wong

Let’s welcome our neighbour, Emily Wong.

Hi, Emily! Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello! My name is Emily Wong. I am and have always been a resident of the Pembroke/Petawawa area. I am a compassionate mother of two kids, a registered social worker, and an amateur/aspiring artist and writer. When I am not in a hockey rink, dance studio, or on a soccer field with my children, you can find me at the gym or out enjoying our beautiful community with family and friends.

Growing up, my parents taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, and treating people with respect. They always encouraged me to follow my dreams, work toward my goals, and make a positive difference wherever I could. That is what led me to a career in social work. I have always been passionate about helping others and giving back to my community. I find it rewarding to support people through tough times, help them reach their goals, and advocate for the services and support they need to thrive.

Aside from my career, I am a fun, outgoing, and charismatic person who loves adventure and exploring new places!

What is your weirdest habit or trait?

I have the unusual ability to mentally structure a piece of writing before writing it. I can completely organize and visualize an essay, report, or email with introductions, subtitles, and conclusions before my fingers hit the keyboard. Although math is not my strong suit, I have this ability to naturally think about evidence, research, and how to build an argument through my writing. Several teachers, university professors, and managers have complimented me on my writing skills throughout my life. I am grateful to be gifted with this trait!

What is your least favourite household chore?

Well, I could consider cleaning out my car a chore, although it may not necessarily be a “household chore.” Listen, I love my children — but have you ever lifted a kids’ car seat and found mashed gum, unidentifiable food crumbs and particles, and a hair brush, barbie doll, or melted squishy toy underneath? One time I even found half of a half-eaten cheeseburger. Do not even get me started on the trunk! It’s full of soccer balls, hockey pucks, and spare clothes. Do you know why the summertime is even worse for parents who clean their cars? Two words: BEACH. SAND.

What three adjectives do you think your family and friends would use to describe you?

My friends and family would describe me as tenacious, vibrant, and funny. I will keep working towards my goal until it has been achieved, and I will always put in 100% effort in everything that I do. I approach challenges with enthusiasm and bring positive energy to the group by inspiring and motivating others. I was voted the “energizer bunny” award at work and can make anyone laugh!

What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?

Keeping in mind that food is a part of one’s culture, so I would not consider it “weird” but just “different.” I was dining with a family last year, and they served me cold, sliced jellyfish in a salad with cucumbers, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I think for me it was the texture — it tasted exactly how you would assume jellyfish would taste: gelatinous, a little chewy, and completely flavourless. While on the topic of cultural food, I have also tried chicken feet and shark fin soup.

If Hollywood made a movie based on your life, who would you like to see play you in the film?

I think Mindy Kaling would be the best actress to play me in a film based on my life. I have always valued the way Mindy uses humour and sarcasm to cope, even when dealing with demanding situations. We have similar personalities, cultural backgrounds (both from immigrant families), and characteristics. Mindy and I are both very emotionally expressive — we do not keep things bottled up, and we express things very openly.

What is the worst style choice you ever made?

My mother is partially to blame for this one, but did your parents ever make you wear SUSPENDERS to school as a child? To add to the hideousness of the outfit, my favourite colour as a child was mustard yellow. Yes. You read that correctly — mustard yellow. So, you bet I had a pair of mustard-coloured suspenders that I would wear confidently to school at least once a week in kindergarten back in the early ’90s!

What animal would you be? Why?

As someone who is “vertically challenged” and stands at approximately five feet tall, even with heels on, it only makes sense that I would want to be a tall animal. I would therefore choose to be a giraffe! Did you know that giraffes also have great eyesight? Another flaw of mine! I would love to be taller than any other animal; with my head in the clouds, munching on greens.

If you could be on any reality TV show, which one would you choose? Why?

If I could be on any reality show, I would choose Love Is Blind because I find the concept of falling in love with someone before seeing what they look like intriguing. While a lot of the relationships on the show have ended in breakups or divorces, some have been incredibly successful, and you can genuinely see the love between certain couples. Being a part of the reality show drama would also be hilarious and entertaining.

If you could have your very own personal assistant, what would you have them do?

If I had my own assistant, their main job would be serving as the family chauffeur and personal chef. Between working full-time and raising my two children on my own, I spend what feels like half my life driving from activities to appointments, and then back again. Some days I am so busy shuttling everyone around that I forget to eat, myself!

Meal prep would be a dream. Not only is cooking time-consuming, but my kids also change their minds about what they like daily. Having an assistant who could plan and prepare meals for all of us would free up precious time and save me from negotiating dinner with two tiny food critics every night.

What do you miss the most about being a kid?

What I miss most about being a kid is my imagination. I miss the joy of becoming my favourite superhero during backyard adventures with friends, the excitement of lying awake on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa Claus to arrive, and the pride of painting masterpieces that made perfect sense to me and absolutely no one else.

I even miss some of my more questionable childhood beliefs, like being convinced that a secret door at the bottom of the swimming pool might suddenly open and release a pack of sharks. Looking back, it sounds ridiculous, but that is the magic of being a kid. The world felt full of endless possibilities, and somehow anything seemed possible if you could imagine it.

Thanks for sharing with us, neighbour Emily.

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Next week, we will welcome Billy Russell.