This interview series is designated to not only introduce the awesome teaching staff at WTC but to also share in on some of the personal ‘real’ life moments, that we hope will continue to build and encourage the supportive, warm, close-knit community we strive for here.
Meet Chris Duehrsen, half teacher-man and half soccer champ. Not only has he been teaching Business Communication at WTBC for over three years now, he has also been playing for the Canadian Paralympic Soccer Team for close to ten years!!! As a Right D-man, he’s traveled all over the world showing what great futbolling means; from North America, Brazil, Argentina, all the way to the land of tulips, Holland. He knows how to represent. When he’s not jet-setting around the world, you’ll find him at “training camps” in Florida, Las Vegas, and San Diego…and of course, right here on Granville Street teaching kick arse classes in business-everything-you-need-to-know. A great guy to have on any team; we are lucky to have him here with us.
What is your fondest childhood memory?
Playing pond hockey on the river in Delta. It almost never froze, but when it did, everybody would get their hockey gear and hot chocolate and head out there. The ice felt like it was going to give at times, but it never did (disclaimer: kids don’t try this on your own) Whenever we were out of breath or needed a break, we’d sit on the frozen logs in the middle of the river and just have a great time.
Did you ever have a ‘naughty and didn’t make it on Santa’s list that year’ moment?
My neighbor had a wicked trampoline, so my best bud and I always sneaked under the fence of their place to use their trampoline when their car was out. One time, we found a couple of jugs of homemade beer outside so we decided to “sample” a few. At that time, we were still young so of course they tasted awful to our inexperienced uncouth taste buds.
When our parents got wind of the situation, they dragged us over to our neighbors front steps for a really painful drawn-out apology.
How do you usually spend your down time?
Usually I’m playing soccer with other teams, but the rest of the time i’m either working as an unpaid travel guide and taxi driver for my lovely wife or watching the Canucks and any other sports related show until I have to switch back to my wife’s favorite channel. As you can see, I love my wife dearly.
Fill us in on some favorites please.
One of my all time favorite comics is The Walking Dead. The game is also pretty awesome although the show, only sometimes good. It’s dark, violent, and gory but it makes you think about what you could or should do to survive a post-(zombie)-Apocalypse (and how it would feel to be a brain-chomper – not that I think about that a lot or at all…)
What was the last book you read?
The last book I read was The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. It was quite good and I would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t read it already.
If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?
I would probably be BBQ Chicken because I want to eat it right now and it’s delicious. (Which apparently shows that Chris thinks of himself as quite a tasty treat.)
If you could be any animal (existent or nonexistent) what would it be and why?
Hands down, a bear. Bears hibernate and get to sleep all winter long, they eat berries and salmon, and nobody messes with them. Plus, we’re both hairy so I feel like if I were to become any animal, converting into a bear wouldn’t be that far of a stretch.
Do you have a crazy – not crazy per se, but more just unforgettable – travel experience or story you could share with us?
It was a scorching hot day, and I was walking with the rest of the Canadian team in a park at Fort Worth, Texas. While we were walking, we felt this tapping on our shoulders and hats, so for a second we thought a sudden freak rainstorm was coming on, but then we realized we had just been given a stinky welcome to the city by a troupe of birds flying by. Four of us were coated with their droppings. We headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up, where the staff apologized for not forewarning us. Apparently it was a common occurrence at this specific park. Lesson learned.
Any last words or advice for the students?
Whatever you do here, no one back home will know so try new things and don’t worry about failing. Instead of being holed up at the library all the time, go out and do things. Go volunteer! I remember when I was in Japan I decided to learn some Judo. Everyone in my class came up basically to my knees and it was an epic fail, but i’m still glad I tried it. One more check off my bucket list.
WTCVAN 