This week marks the anniversary of my first day at the Nouvelle, and what a year it has been.
I was getting reminders of when my friend and I packed up my little Vibe and trekked across the country. We traveled through a number of provinces, visited tourist attractions we’d never heard of, and drove through one of the worst storms the area had seen.
When I rolled into Bonnyville, it was cold and cloudy. I was nervous to be on my own for the first time, and had no idea what to expect with my first job in the industry.
Robynne Henry The Henry Hype
I also experienced culture shock, going from living in a relatively large town to rural Alberta.
I’ve learned so much in this year that I don’t even know where to begin, and I can’t even pick out my favourite thing that’s happened.
I jumped head first into a career I’ve been dreaming about being in since I was in Grade 8 and didn’t look back.
I moved into my first apartment, got my Alberta driver’s license, and learned so much about Bonnyville.
A year ago, I could have never imagined everything that I would have accomplished while working for the Nouvelle. I shocked my friends and family back home when I told them stories of attending the rodeo, and going to the local shooting range.
I wowed people with my knowledge of hockey, leaving out that I learned most of it while covering the local Jr. A team, and shared stories that I was proud to have written.
Through too many spelling and grammar mistakes to count, I’ve been seeing an improvement in my work and want to keep getting better.
This last year of my life was all about change and the unknown.
That’s especially true when it comes to getting lost here, because I did that way too many times to count. While I don’t rely on my GPS quite as much as I used to, I still find myself missing a turn or driving straight past a location if I’m not paying attention.
While I miss my friends and family back home terribly, I don’t think there’s much I would change about this past year. I’ve grown a lot, and met some unforgettable people.
Looking forward, I’m excited to see what the future will hold. Things changed so drastically for me, and I never would have imagined being where I am today at this time last year.
It’s been a whirlwind of a ride, Bonnyville, and I’m not ready for it to be over quite yet.
