That province that begins and ends with ‘a’

I’ve been wanting to express my feelings for awhile on this subject and now you all have the (dis)pleasure of hearing me out.

First thing’s first. Believe everything you’ve heard.
Second thing’s second. Believe nothing you’ve heard.

There’s a great deal of bitching that goes on here about moving from the Maritimes to Alberta and the experiences one can expect when moving there—and why you should do it in the first place. Whether your destination be Calgary, Edmonton or Fort McMurray—believe what people tell you about jobs, people’s attitudes, and the cost of living. Then, (un)believe it.

You see, you’ll find some people ranting about their awful experiences and then you’ll find other people advocating their fantastic move out west, their new-found prosperity and how it’s the bees knees—they’re often in direct opposition of one another. What I’m trying to say is that just like any second-hand disclosure, anecdotal information is something to surely keep under your hat but then use that information as an adjunct to your own research when attempting to figure out whether a move across the country is in your best interest.

Ok, so why am I telling you this? Well, it’s because I care about each and every one of you—well all of you except the assholes, fuckwads, discriminators, racists, misogynists…you get the picture. I grew up in rural NS, went to post-secondary school in Halifax, stuck around for a year and then moved to Alberta for reasons of my own. I’m still living and working in Alberta 16 years later.

Would I tell you it sucks here and that the money-centric attitudes of many folks here permeate not unlike that unmistakable ‘old age’ smell we all experience when we visit our grandparents’ house? Yep.

Would I tell you that based on my particular circumstances that I wouldn’t have garnered even close to the amount of financial remuneration in the Maritimes as I would have out west? Yep.

Would I tell you that I miss my homeland and my family each and every day and that I vacation there whenever I can and that I want to move back, knowing full well that although it would be financially deprecating, it would be what my soul requires? Yep.

Please know that I feel your pain, having been there when it comes to getting up the nerve to move (almost) to the other end of the country. The word ‘trepidation’ is certainly one way to describe what you’re feeling.

Like I said, I care about each and every one of you (other than the aforementioned exceptions). There are no guarantees that you’ll be better off in whatever it is you’re seeking by moving away to Alberta. Then again, you’ll never know if you don’t try. What to do? Educate yourself. Plan ahead. Make sure you’ve got a livable sum of money for the short-term on your foray into Wild Rose Country. If you can, go it with a partner or friend, you’re better off to divide and conquer. Go or don’t go. Whatever you do, share something with the rest of us so that the next person can keep your little two cents’ worth under their hat. -BJA

This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 2, 2014.