Yes, I’ve only been in town for three weeks now, but as someone who’s accustomed to city life growing up in Toronto I can honestly say that the people that make up the community in Houston and Burns Lake are some of the nicest I’ve ever come across.
I won’t lie to you, I was very nervous about moving so far away from home, especially to a place like northern B.C. with such a drastic lifestyle change from what I’m used too. Since getting out here and getting settled into the community though, all those worries have completely gone away thanks to the kindness and hospitality that I’ve received from virtually everyone I’ve met so far.
In Toronto, no restaurant is going to offer you a lunch or drink on the house as a welcome to town, both of which I’ve been offered multiple times in my short time here. When asking for directions, no one is going to stop and take the time to give you a detailed description on how to get where your going. That kind of stuff simply doesn’t happen in a big city.
Almost everyone I’ve talked too in my short time here has greeted me with a smile, taken the time to ask where I came from and why I moved out here, and even offered me some places to check out and explore around the area.It isn’t just in my leisure time either, but also in my experience working as a journalist. Time and time again when reaching out to business owners or local government officials for stories, I get the same kind and warm response when introducing myself.
In fact, I recently spent a night at up at Babine Lake Resort, and it was more of the same. Each and every person that I interacted with went out of their way to make me feel welcomed and at home.
For most who live here this may seem like nothing new, but as someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience living in a smaller community, it’s truly been a breath of fresh air and it’s made a difficult transition seamless.
I still have lots to find out about the community, but I can already tell that this experience is going to be one I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. I can’t wait to keep exploring this wonderful town and getting to know you all!