Sunday, September 12, 2010

Reporting Live From Merritt

On Wednesday I loaded everything I could fit into my little car (a task that could only be accomplished using my Tetris skills) and set off for Merritt, British Columbia.

Merritt, located about three hours northeast of my home in Coquitlam, is a small city with a population of approximately 7000 (twice the size of Forks, WA). Though small, even Merritt has its claim to fame. You see it claims the title of “The Country Music Capital of Canada.” I do like country music, but that wasn’t what induced me to move out here. Rather it was a job at the local paper, The Merritt Herald.

As I sit here on a storage container in my little apartment (I don’t have any furniture yet) I still can’t really believe that I’m here. It could be the shock of all of a sudden finding myself in a small town, but maybe it’s the reality that I finally get to be a real life journalist.

When I first got home from my mission in February I was daunted by the task of trying to find a job. I decided to hedge my bets and I enrolled in a TESOL Certificate course through Vancouver Community College. After a very intense month, I was qualified to teach English (to speakers of other languages) and quickly found a job at an English school. Though some of the kids managed to weasel their way into my heart, it wasn’t long before I discovered that teaching wasn’t my calling in life.

Even so, I almost went to Egypt. The subject is still a little sensitive for me, but I was offered a teaching job in Cairo and turned it down. The pay was pretty low, but the real reason I said no was that I didn’t want to put off getting into journalism any more. (That’s not to say I won’t run away to Egypt in the future.)

My teaching contract ended on a Friday. On Monday I prepared for the job hunt – a process I expected to be long and depressing, but I was determined. While I was at my computer I got a tip from a friend that a reporting position was opening up at the Herald. I called the editor and said I was interested in the job. Thursday I drove up to Merritt for the interview and a week later I showed up for my first day of work. And that, my friends, is how I ended up in Merritt. I’d say the timing for all this was pretty miraculous.

Though I’m happy to be back at a paper, I still have some fears about the future (for instance I was told on my first day here that if I stayed in Merritt I would die alone), but I’m sure things will work out.

In the meantime, stay tuned to read about my adventures in Merritt!

9 comments:

Eleanor said...

I am so excited for your adventures!!! Yay for fun and new changes. And, really, God cares more about who you marry than you do, so He will work it out I am sure. Even in the supposed "Mecca" of several thousand LDS, single males, the fishing is somewhat limited. To quote the Joseph Smith movie slightly...you want deep waters. And who knows that fish may come swimming through Merrit ;)

Becca Bingham said...

Wow Jade that is adventurous! How scary to be off on your own so quickly! I hope that you enjoy your adventure there and that your job works out well! I'll be waiting for the next chapter update.

Katy Marie said...

Jade you are a brave woman! I admire you so much. Keep it up! I love you! (and I miss you too).

Meredith said...

Congratulations on your new job! I'm excited to hear how it goes. GOOD LUCK!

Sarah said...

Yay! Good for you, Jade! I can't wait to hear about all your adventures! A teeny part of me is jealous, but I'll just live vicariously through you! Good luck!

Katie said...

That is wonderful! Congratulations. Good luck, you're going to do great.

Cassott Kinghorn said...

Good luck friend! Way to be a big kid! :D I'm so impressed!

Michelle S said...

Wow, congratulations Jade! I'm so happy for you!

Jill said...

Hi Jade! We worked on the Scroll together many, many years ago. I just found your blog and got excited because my husband served his mission in Merritt! He loved it up there. I bet you two know some of the same people. Best of luck with your new job! Love, Jill Barnes