Maritime Stories

09/03/2025

Good evening FB Community,

Happy Labour Day; I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful summer filled with laughter and experiences!😊❤️☀️.

As we enter a new school year, please let’s remember to be kind and compassionate to our tutors and teachers❤️✊.

Myself, and a number of teachers I know, love to teach and have taught for many years because we truly care and motivate our students to gain confidence and reach new heights. Personally speaking, I love to teach because it was special and understanding teachers in different stages of my academic journey that encouraged and believed in me. They met me where I was and guided me along the way and I will forever be grateful to them❤️🙌.

So, please this year and every year, let’s not forget the behind every lesson plan, activity, and late night of marking is a teacher who truly wants the best for their students.

Much love and thanks!

Charlie.

❤️

Speakers Nova Scotia
Rania Ghaly
ISANS
ADDvocacy ADHD & Executive Function Coaching
Canadian Mental Health Association - Nova Scotia

08/09/2025

Good morning FB Community,

Happy Saturday!😎❤️🙌.

I am all set up and ready to go at Pier 21 as a vendor and part of ILNS Art of Disability Festival happening from 11-4. I would love it if you can stop by and show your support.

This market isn’t just about shopping local — it’s about proving that a disability either visible or invisible, chronic and acute, etc., means different ability and the incredible and kind vendors here have worked very hard to show their work and crafts.

So come by, say hello, take a look and learn the story behind each vendor.

Stylish finds
Meaningful conversations and connections
A cause that matters.

Support local. Shop with purpose. See you soon.

Much love and thanks!😊❤️🙌.

Charlie.

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07/30/2025

Greetings FB Community,

Happy Wednesday to you and your loved ones — I truly hope you are taking in the hot summer days in our great city of Halifornia — 😎❤️🙌. (Sorry I have been on a Tupac vibe lately✊).

As someone who was an ESL Tutor+academic coach and proud life long learner😍, I have learned many things from many people from many countries and cultures🌎. Yet, one thing that always sticks with me, and has become more evident since I started tutoring again, is that we all learn in different ways.

Also, and after getting to meet the kind and passionate educator and consultant, Zahra Absalar I was reminded of the importance of creating learning that’s unique to each student. So, that’s why I am not a big fan of standardized testing like IELTS, SATs, GMATs, etc. I wrote the SATs in Lebanon as I was planning to go to an American university but that wasn’t my fate and I came back home🇨🇦.

Below are some reasons why I don’t favour the above mentioned tests:

Limited measure of intelligence and ability
Test anxiety, mental health
Cultural and language bias
Cost accessibility
Can reinforce inequality

As we are living in a time, where we pushing and advocating for more diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life, we should and have been adopting policies that benefit all.

Please let me know what you think📚🍼❤️🙌.

Much thanks and love!

Charlie.

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07/24/2025

Greetings FB Community,

What is it they say? You are the sum of the five people you surround yourself with?

I am so pleased and truly blessed to not only be around five people but many and truly special individuals with Speakers Nova Scotia.

From Rania Ghaly to Navdeep Parmand or Julianna Sheriff and my main man Terrence Taylor, among many more, I am so happy to have met and will continue to meet people that inspire, teach and remind me in the power of hope, love and community.

Much love and thanks!😊❤️🙌.

Charlie.

❤️ .

Every Thursday we feature a member and tell you a bit bit about the amazing work they do!

Today we are featuring Charlie Yammine!

He has a varied background in business and education, with a current focus on mental health & disability inclusion in the workplace.

You can see Charlie's full profile here: https://www.speakersnovascotia.ca/registry/charlie-john-yammine

07/14/2025

Greetings FB Community,

I hope you and your loved ones are doing great!😎❤️🙌.

Fingers crossed, because we do live in the Maritimes and know all to well, the “unpredictable” weather we have — yesterday was sunny but at night it was cold 🥶.

I want you to imagine a beautiful sunny day like the ones we have been having🙏, you start your day by NOT checking your phone, emails, social media feeds, DT can wait right?😝, notifications, etc. For the first half hour, just play calming sounds (I.e., white noise, lakes, birds singing, etc.). You can do this by going for a walk alone, sitting in a quiet place, etc.

Now, how charged mentally and physically do you feel after this?

What I have learned from personal experience and peer review, is that I am starting my day with a “Peace Surplus”. Yes, I am integrating wellness and economics😊. By starting our day with such surplus, we can take on more stress, do more, and can cope with the never ending “noise” because we are mentally armed and just at peace.

Please let me know what you think, and as always feel free to engage.

Much thanks and love!😎❤️🙌

Charlie.

? ’sseretonin .

06/25/2025

Greetings FB Community,

How are you?!❤️ Hoping you are enjoying this beautiful and sunny day in the 902!🙌🇨🇦.

Question? How do you feel when you smile? Happy, light, giddy, etc? Tell me please😍.

As we continue to recognize and celebrate men’s mental health month, I want to share with you why I love to smile, how I feel when I do, and how it reflects on to others.

Ok, I may be a “big dude” but if you know me well enough, just ask my nieces and nephew — they will tell you that I am just one big bear that is constantly making jokes and talks way too much. From watching funny sitcom — Seinfeld, Fresh Prince, Mo, talking to friends and family, or waiting in line in public or when I am at a cash register, when I smile, I feel so good inside, I feel light, and feel a great sense of peace.

Smiling as it pertains to mental health, can reduce stress, elevate mood, lowers blood pressure, etc. Look at all these benefits that come from smiling!😊.

So, on this beautiful summer day, I ask you to please kindly, smile more, act silly, smile at a stranger or just say hello to them.

I promise you the benefits are great in so MANY ways — both mentally and physically❤️

Much love and thanks.

Charlie.

.

Canadian Mental Health Association - Nova Scotia
Rania Ghaly
NoGarlicNoOnions
East Coast Craft Show
Jules Hutt

06/14/2025

Dear Matt,

It is said that we don’t meet people in life by accident. I had a brief discussion with you online a few years ago and than got the chance to meet you in person at the Access to Success event hosted by TEAMWork Cooperative

After just a few words with you, I felt at ease and wanting to share my story with you. But I saw you in a different light when you presented me with this book and signed it for my soon to be born son 🙏 I felt we not only connected as advocates but also as fathers and two kind people.

So, Matt, I say to you and the many strong and kind fathers out there, thank you so much for all you do and have a happy Father’s Day and I am so excited and blessed to be part of such club and unity of brothers.

Much love and thanks😊❤️🙌.

Charlie.

’sDay ❤️

06/10/2025

Greetings FB Community,

Hope all is well and you are enjoying our “unpredictable” weather😊🙌❤️.

I wanted to share with you a story about a deep conversation I had with a customer while I was a vendor on Saturday with the .

A shopper comes to my table, so I let them look before I introduce myself and explain my initiative. As we get talking, and I explain to her that “disability isn’t inability”, they say, yes, I know, because “disability is a different type of ability” — I mean talk about a mic drop moment!😎❤️.

The way they spoke and encouraged me and championed disability, I was in complete awe and I could talk to them for hours. They went on to say people with disabilities, invisible or visible, chronic or acute, etc., possess unique skills and can aspire to do anything.

To sum up, regardless of what issue you are passionate about and advocate for, you will agree with me, that is individuals like with such high EQs that remind us, why we do what we do and to continue doing it because there is hope and light at the end of tunnel.

Thanks for reading and always please feel free to engage with me.

Much love!😊❤️🙌.

Charlie.

.

06/07/2025

Good morning FB Community,

Happy Saturday to you and your loved ones!😊❤️🙌.

Today, I am excited to announce, that I am a proud vendor with the Bedford-Hammonds Plains Craft+Vendor Market — Spring into Summer at Saint John’s Church on 2187 Larry Uteck BLVD between 10-2.

And Guess what?

Father’s Day is coming up - 13 days to go❤️🥳, so what a great way to celebrate that special man in your life by coming to the market today and supporting me and the other kind and talented local vendors here today.

Hope to see you there!😊❤️🙌.

Much thanks and love!

Charlie.

’sDay -shirtguy .

06/06/2025

Good afternoon FB Community,

Happy Friday to you and your loved ones!😊❤️🙌.

In recognition of men’s mental health awareness, and man oh man, no pun intended😬, I had to go back and forth with this post and what to write about, so I decided to just write from the heart and go from there.

Our fathers, brothers, male friends and colleagues, uncles, grandfathers, etc.

I want to recognize you and say thanks for standing strong and resilient even if you are tired and pushing through. Thanks for your continuous effort and being resilient and becoming a leader and role model even if it’s a role you may have not asked for.

I just don’t want to celebrate and recognize you this month but every month and remind you, it’s ok to not be ok, it’s ok to ask for help, it’s ok to be vulnerable and simply put, it’s ok to just be you❤️.

To all the men that show up everyday through the good and the bad, we see you, we appreciate you and most importantly, we love you!

Much thanks and love!😊❤️🙌.

Charlie.

’sMentalhealthawarnessmonth

05/31/2025

With Haligonia.ca – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉