As you may have heard, I am returning to Brazil for a few months. And no, it is not because I was fed up with the winter in Burns Lake. In fact, I thought the winter in Burns Lake was not bad at all compared to some other parts of the country.
What’s happening is that I have to leave the country for a few months while I wait for a decision on my Canadian permanent residency application. So hopefully the kind government of Canada (I have to say nice things in case they are monitoring my behaviour) will approve my application and I will be able to return to Burns Lake as soon as possible.
In the meantime, I will continue to freelance for Lakes District News. So don’t be confused if you receive a call from me in the near future. I must say that when I moved to Burns Lake I had zero expectations.
I moved because of the job, and I had no clue about what to expect. I had no friends who lived in Northern B.C., and it was really hard to imagine how living there would be like.
What happened during my stay there was that I kept being positively surprised.
First I was surprised by how beautiful the area was. I was amazed at how almost every house had a lake view (it’s like being at a theatre, where everybody can see the stage).
Then I was impressed by the many options of outdoor activities (although I was too afraid of bears and the freezing temperatures to be more adventurous).
However, I did sense that there is a distinctive quality to being up north and living so close to nature. We have something truly special in Northern B.C. that city folks miss and don’t even realize it. I think you have to live up there [Northern B.C.] to understand it.
I was also positively surprised by our village council. I was impressed by how transparent and responsible they are when dealing with the public and the media. I think this town is very lucky for having a diverse and forward-thinking council; a young, intelligent and charismatic mayor; and a highly efficient village staff. It was always invigorating for me to follow up on council affairs.
But the best thing about Burns Lake is definitely the people. People in Burns Lake are friendly, but they also know when to respect your privacy. People are certainly not shy and know how to party (and there is an unspoken agreement on not sharing embarrassing photos of each other on Facebook).
What I also found interesting was that a lot of people in this town came from somewhere else. I met people from all walks of life and was able to learn so much from them. I also heard many stories of people who moved to Burns Lake temporarily, but eventually discovered that this was their home.
And the most rewarding part about the time I spent in Burns Lake was feeling that I arrived at an interesting time for the town. I sense that this town has had some hardships in the past, but that a new energy is emerging.
I think that with a forward-thinking council, a brand new hospital and recreation facility, as well as a new marketing strategy for the town, Burns Lake has a tremendous potential for growth. Once we build our confidence and are able to market our unique features, I have no doubt we will attract continuous businesses and residents.
This is an important time for this town, and it brought me great excitement to be a part of it! It was rewarding to think that I was part of this change.
And so are you.
Thank you for your warm hearts and for making me feel so welcomed.