I didn’t know what I was getting into in September of 2000.
My family loaded up all of my worldly possessions that we could fit into a couple of vehicles on Sept. 4, 2000, and departed Langley B.C. at 5 a.m. The following afternoon, we reached Estevan.
For most of my life, the first weekend of September meant the end of summer vacation and the pending resumption of school, whether it be elementary school, high school or university. Not in 2000. I was about to embark on an education of a completely different kind.
I had been hired by Teresa Howie a few weeks earlier to work for Estevan Lifestyles – a paper that was just 18 months old at the time.
I knew where Estevan was. Mom’s family farms near Fillmore, so I’ve spent time in the southeast, but had never been to the Energy City. Didn’t know anyone here. Found out upon arriving in Estevan that mom and dad spent the first night of their honeymoon at Estevan’s Beefeater Inn (now the Days Inn) following their wedding in Weyburn in 1974.
Having family nearby was a big drawing card. I knew I could always mooch a drumstick for Thanksgiving dinner. And since I was 13 years old, I wanted to be a news person.
I didn’t have the looks for television or the voice for radio, so newspaper was the perfect fit. And as we all know, the most talented people go into print. We actually get the opportunity to share people's stories.
But I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. And I certainly didn’t imagine when I arrived that Estevan would become home.
Those first few weeks weren’t easy. I remember driving home from work on several occasions, no mountains in the background, and asking myself “What am I doing here?” I never had that meltdown moment in which I considered giving up and driving all the way back to B.C., but I wouldn’t say I was thrilled to be here, either.
About two months after I moved here, there was more than a foot of snow on the ground, thanks to two mid-fall snow storms. Yeah, that wasn’t in the brochure.
I thought I would be here for 18-24 months, tops. I’d find a job back in B.C. and begin my path towards a big city daily paper, where I’d land my dream job covering an NHL team.
Twenty years? No way would I last that long here.
But I found out that this is a pretty incredible city, a fantastic region and a wonderful province. The people here are incredible. We’ve seen the generosity of the people of Estevan on so many occasions.
This job gives you the opportunity to see and do and experience things that you normally wouldn’t get. You get to know people you would have never encountered. And so many people trust you to share their stories, because they believe you’ll get it right.
There’s so much to do here, even during a pandemic. (The Mercury’s 101 Things to Do in Estevan earlier this summer is a testament to that). There truly is something for everyone.
A lot has changed in Estevan. So much has been added to the community, from new homes to schools to Affinity Place. I’ve witnessed an oil boom and a construction boom, and been through a crash in the price of oil. We’re now experiencing a time of great change, but I’m confident we’ll emerge from it with new opportunities.
One of the positive trends has been the growth in diversity, with people from around the world coming here, and experiencing what a great community we have.
And I've obviously changed a lot, too, and not just in the obvious ways. (I'm older, I weigh more and I have less hair). I hope I'm better at my job, I hope I'm more mature than I was and I hope I'm smarter.
One thing that hasn’t changed is my enjoyment of Estevan.
Yes, there are the long days associated with a job that requires you to work evenings and weekends, and there’s the stress associated with deadlines and searching for scoops and social media warriors and people who aren’t always going to be happy with what you write.
But the good far outweighs the bad. It’s kind of like the people – there’s a lot more good people out there than bad people.
I’ve never sought out opportunities elsewhere. I likely could have moved to a paper in a larger market, that would have brought forward new challenges. But I wouldn’t have been as happy as I am in Estevan.
Sure, I still miss the mountains in the background, the trees, the ocean and those dreary but above zero January days in B.C. (Yes, wet and dreary beats a -30 C windchill). But if I left Estevan tomorrow, there’d be so much that I’d miss here.
I’ll remain forever grateful for the opportunity to come here, and yeah, I’m happy that I was smart enough to take that job in 2000.
So thanks for 20 years, Estevan. And thanks to the surrounding communities as well. Hopefully we have many more years ahead of us together.
