Meet Marie-Claude Germain, Massage Therapist.
Starting All Over Again; from Canadian Nurse to Tel Aviv Massage Therapist.
A few months ago I opened my own massage therapy clinic in my apartment in the center of Tel Aviv. If someone had told me this would be what I would be doing a few years ago, I probably would not have believed it. Yet, I now realize that this is what I was meant to do!
For over 10 years, I had been working as a Nurse in a large Health Care Center in Montreal, Canada. Keen to learn and help people, I worked in almost every department, in different hierarchic positions, learning to navigate all western medicine specialties and trying to grab a better understanding of the system. I was completing my master degree in nursing at McGill University when I met an Israeli guy who convinced me to complete all my current projects and start a new life in Israel. I knew the transition would be hard, with the language barrier, an unfamiliar system and a whole different culture. Knowing I wouldn’t be able to pursue my career the way I intended to here, I had to find another way of helping people. Alternative medicine is something that, at the time, started to draw my attention. I kept researching it and decided to give it a try. Before making a definite move to Tel Aviv, I enrolled into a well renowned Montreal private massage therapy school “Kiné-concept”. This was a revelation. I loved it and considered turning it into my main career.
A week after having successfully completed a Swedish Massage Program, I was packing my Canadian life and starting a new chapter in Tel Aviv with my Israeli fiancé. The first year or so, I worked as getting experience in a spa. I enrolled in all kinds of short massage classes, such as introduction to Craniosacral Therapy, Relaxation Shiatsu on table, introduction to Californian massage, etc. I also became interested in learning more about deep tissue massages. I keep reading everything that I can find about any kind of massage therapy. I am as eager to learn as I used to be in my nursing days.
Apart from starting a new career, launching a new business in a foreign country is tricky. The main part is to build a clientele. Not knowing many people at the beginning was a struggle. Thanks to social media and by word of mouth, I’m proud to have a growing number of clients and a few regulars, which would gladly refer me as your future massage therapist. I even been listed in the top places to get massaged in Tel Aviv by the French site; Roots Israel (http://rootsisrael.com/le-top-du-massage-a-tlv/).
I am fluent in French, English and Spanish which allows me to communicate easily with a diverse clientele of Olim from all over the world. My Hebrew is still quite basic, but I am working hard on improving it at the Ulpan and I look forward to having more Israeli clients.
Career changes are not always easy but are sometimes for the best. I would strongly urge new Olim not to be scared and to follow your hearts and if life gets too stressful out there, then you can come see me for a great massage!
Marie-Claude Germain, Massage Therapist
Phone number: 058-406-7794
Check out my Web Site:http://massagetherapist.co.il/
Check out my facebook page and internet site:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Claude-Germain-Massage-Therapist/603697293084794?ref=hl
Starting All Over Again; from Canadian Nurse to Tel Aviv Massage Therapist
