You might have noticed my byline has been missing.
If you’ve been flicking through the paper these past few weeks and thinking, ‘I haven’t seen her name in here lately,’ I promise there’s a good reason for it.
I haven’t fallen out with anyone. I haven’t run out of things to say.
I’ve moved to Canada.
More specifically, I now find myself in Calgary, a sentence that still feels strange to write.
One minute I was in Fermanagh, measuring journeys by how long it takes to get from Enniskillen to wherever you’re going.
The next, I was staring at a departure board and questioning every life decision that led me there.
I came dangerously close to not getting on the plane.
There’s a particular kind of fear that arrives just before you do something big. It’s not loud or dramatic. It’s quiet and persistent.
It whispers very sensible things like, ‘You could just go home. Nobody would blame you. Sure isn’t Fermanagh grand?’
Standing in the airport, boarding pass in hand, I felt that pull stronger than I expected.
The comfort of home is a powerful thing. In Fermanagh, I knew the roads, the faces, the rhythm of the place.
I’d spent years telling its stories, writing about people I’d likely bump into before the ink was dry.
Calgary, on the other hand, was a dot on a map and a leap of faith.
But somewhere between the final boarding call and the moment the plane lifted off the runway, excitement edged out fear. Or maybe stubbornness did. Either way, I got on.
When we finally touched down, the nerves of the flight gave way to relief.
A new chapter
Immigration was surprisingly swift, and before long we were stepping out into the crisp Calgary air, bleary-eyed but exhilarated.
Waiting for us were family friends, who greeted us with open arms and helped us feel instantly at home.
Their kindness and familiarity softened the edges of a daunting new city, and it was with their support that our Canadian adventure truly began.
And now here I am, in a city where the skies are enormous, the streets stretch on endlessly, and the backdrop looks like it’s been lifted straight from a postcard.
So if you’re curious about how a Fermanagh girl gets on in Calgary, stay with me.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll be taking you along on everything from flat-hunting and job-searching to exploring the Canadian Rockies, all while figuring out how to survive a proper Canadian winter.
