About Me
Sabrina Bruns was born and raised in North Vancouver, Canada, on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish, Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Stó:lõ and Musqueam Nations. Her parents and sister had newly emigrated from Germany to Canada, less than a year before Sabrina was born. As a result, Sabrina grew up bilingual, and the German language, as well as cultural traditions, remain embedded in her home.
At an early age, Sabrina developed an interest in the arts. Enchanted by the tales she heard as a child Sabrina was inspired. She soon began writing and illustrating her own stories, to emulate the worlds she escaped to while reading. Within her interests in creative fields, Sabrina also developed a love for dance, particularly the ethereal beauty of ballet. At seven years old Sabrina first stepped into a ballet class and began the journey of striving for unattainable perfection. Though the learning process of ballet can be gruelling, the performance, with demanding choreography, exquisite costumes, and magnificent music, captured Sabrina’s attention and created a lifelong passion.
However, Sabrina was not just interested in the arts. Her father introduced her to geography, culture, history, and languages at the age of three; her intrigue in the subjects only grew the more she learned. Inspired by her parents’ various international adventures, she decided early on that she would explore as much of the world as possible and to see all the things she had learned about. Sabrina began traveling at a young age with her family, locally within North America and visiting her relatives in Germany. Eventually she began working and living internationally in her late adolescence.
After graduating high school, Sabrina started working in the fashion industry, as a model. Her career allowed her the opportunity to live in many diverse countries, as well as develop relationships with influential individuals. Alongside modelling, the creative environment Sabrina was surrounded by fostered her interest in pursuing photography. Using the connections she made, she started her own small photography company. Sabrina worked in various cities, including Shanghai, Milan, Lima, Paris, and London, before she finally settled in Berlin. Hearing childhood stories from her mother, who grew up in Berlin, Sabrina always felt a familiarity and comfort there. While there, Sabrina’s career in fashion slowed and she began working in hospitality. She was excited to have the opportunity to work at Hotel Adlon, an establishment that had a historical significance in Berlin and had remained a reflection of the city’s imperial past. Yet, despite loving her time there, unforeseeable circumstances pushed Sabrina to leave Berlin and the hotel sooner than expected.
Sabrina moved back to Canada, and initially upon returning, continued her work in hospitality at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. However, due to the pandemic, the hotel temporarily closed, and Sabrina was forced to find other employment. Shortly thereafter, a family Sabrina had worked with, and previously offered occasional childcare too, reached out; they offered her a position as a nanny, which she happily accepted. Her new work enabled Sabrina to use her creative side more than she had been able to in hospitality. Additionally, due to the pandemic, Sabrina spent more time at home, where she started pursuing the creative interests that had been instilled in her as a child. She began painting and writing again, while sharing the stories she created with the children she nannied. Sabrina also engaged in many artistic and craft based activities with them, finding joy in sharing her love of the arts with the children she cared for. Sabrina rediscovered her creative passion and decided to research career paths that would allow her to pursue this in the future. Consequently, she spontaneously decided to enroll at Capilano University in August 2021, drawn to both the IDEA School of Design as well as the Creative Writing Program. Having missed the application deadlines for the official programs due to the spontaneity of her decision, Sabrina is currently taking electives that will benefit her regardless of which program she is accepted into next Fall. She is excited to be back in class after taking some time away from school, and is enjoying her electives while planning for her academic future. While she had often dreamt of returning to school, the process had always been delayed due to personal circumstances. Sabrina is thrilled that she is finally able to attend University; she has many ambitious goals and interests she wishes to pursue, and is looking forward to the opportunities Capilano University will provide.