'It's still a little bit surreal': Emmanuella Lambropoulos ready for new career in politics

At the beginning of the week, 26-year-old Emmanuella Lambropoulos was a Montreal high school teacher.

Today, she was on Parliament Hill as the newly elected Liberal who will be representing the riding of Saint-Laurent.

"It still hasn't hit me yet, even though I was in Ottawa today. It's still a little bit surreal," Lambropoulos told CBC Radio's Homerun.

Her office on Parliament Hill isn't ready yet it's stilloccupied by someone else but Lambropoulos thinks that once she settles in, it won't feel like a dream anymore.

"It feels great but I need to get into the new lifestyle in order to fully feel it."

Lambropoulos stunned everyone last month including herself, she admitted after an upset in the Liberal nomination race that saw her beat former provincial immigration minister and presumed front-runner Yolande James.

• High school teacher beats out Yolande James to win Liberal nomination in Saint-Laurent

Lambropoulos credits her victory to the long hours she put in going door-to-door, and the support of her team which consisted of her parents and family members. Her campaign headquarters during the nomination race was her grandmother's living room.

I would only ever want to represent Saint-Laurent because it's my home.- EmmanuellaLambropoulos, Saint-Laurent MP

"It was all about connecting with people. I've been involved in campaigns in the past so I know how to campaign. I know what it takes to win a nomination, and I just made sure I was on top of the game," said Lambropoulos, who used to help her own MP, Stphane Dion, with his campaigns in the Saint-Laurent riding.

When Lambropoulos heard Dion was leaving politics, she knew it was her chance to take the place of the man who inspired her.

• Stphane Dion steps away from politics, calls career 'an incredible adventure'

"I've always said I would want to run eventually one day. But I would only ever want to represent Saint-Laurent because it's my home and I have very strong feelings about Saint-Laurent and the people who live in Saint-Laurent. I didn't think that Stphane Dion would leave his seat this quick in the game, but I realized once he did, that there wouldn't be too many other opportunities.So I decided to go for it because I realized it was the right timing."

The political rookie said she's not worried about the steep learning curve ahead.

"I don't think that anybody goes into this ready because it's a completely different job than what you've ever done before. So the fact that I was working closely with Stphane Dion, and with the people working closely with his riding, gives me the same amount of experience as anybody entering the race. Obviously there is going to be a big learning curve but that's the case for everybody and I'm so, so, so, so excited about the challenge."

She says her priorities will include the environment, diversity and youth.

"Obviously I'm a teacher and I care a lot about youths and teenagers. So I want them to get involved in politics and have a say, to have their voices heard. I want to show them and be an inspiration to them that, even at a young age, you can get involved and you can make a difference."