Happy Anniversary, Ottawa!
31 Jul
Eleven years ago I set out in a beat-up old Toyota Corolla bound for The Nation’s Capital. I had never actually planned on moving to Ottawa – it was far too dull…
It was 1999 – the glory days of high-tech boom; I had just finished-up a dream workterm with one of the big high-tech heavy-weights of the day, and had enough ego to get me to the moon – or at least Toronto. Coming from a marketing/advertising background, Toronto would be my logical destination, but the geek inside me was easily swayed by the promise of a job in the company’s Kanata office. I ended up stopping 5 hours short of Toronto, and settled in Ottawa. Those were the days! Nortel was stealing employees from every company in town and Rebel.com wasn’t yet a laughing stock.
I will never forget the day I left St. John’s. The bumper on my 1986 Toyota Corolla was tied on to the car with a piece of rope and the muffler was braced into place with a bright yellow ponytail ring (I’m like MacGyver, I tell ya). There was so much stuff squished into the car that I’m sure the rims of the tires pressed against the pavement. Oh yeah, and I had my cat. And his litter box. And the stereo didn’t work. Family members actually waged bets on whether or not the car would survive the climb up Kelly’s Mountain when we got off the ferry and hit the mainland – err, Cape Breton. I don’t think I have ever prayed so hard in my life as I did on that ascent. Once we made it to the top, I knew everything would be smooth sailing from then on.
The memory of my arrival in Ottawa still comes flooding back to me every time drive past the split westbound on the Queensway. If you’re familiar with Ottawa you know the place I’m talking about. There’s a tiny hill on the highway and it is where newcomers get their first sight of the Peace Tower. For years I had only seen the Peace Tower on television and on my money – whenever I was lucky enough to actually have any! It was a Saturday, and the air was thick with humidity. I was sad, excited and terrified all at the same time. I missed home. As I took in my first sights of the Nation’s Capital – the Peace Tower, Museum of Nature, Corel (!) I shed a tear for what I had left behind, and for what was lying ahead of me that was yet unknown. If only I had known…
My Tuesday (it was the August 1st long weekend) got off to a good start – I got dressed, went in to the office to meet my future co-workers, see my new digs, and get my bearings. Things were looking good! A few days later I received a call from the company telling me that my position had been given to someone else – the HR Director’s daughter. It was then that I got my first taste of what Ottawa could be like. I could’ve gotten upset, I could’ve fought for the position that was rightfully mine, but instead I decided to make the most of the situation, and within two weeks I was starting an entry-level copywriting/ad production job at a marketing agency and I never looked back.
From that moment I have ridden what I call the Ottawa roller coaster – fast and furiously. Ottawa can be a city of beauty, of creativity, and of opportunity. It can also be a very difficult city to feel at home in – especially if you are not from here. I have often said that the people of Ottawa are like planets in orbit – each revolving in a circular motion – you have the natives, the diplomats, the tourists, and those who aren’t from here who have decided to make it their home. Sometimes the planets come into contact with one another, but if left to their own devices, they’re completely oblivious to one another. That’s the part that was hardest for me. I never really felt like I belonged in any of the circles.
I did lead a good life, though. I built a small circle of close friends, married and bought a house, had a good job and went to yoga on Tuesday nights. Then my life fell apart. In typical fashion, I managed to pick up the pieces and got my life back together, but somehow things just didn’t seem to fit, and finally in 2008 I decided I’d had enough. I needed a fresh start after that emotional roller coaster, and I felt like Ottawa was closing in on me. I packed up and I headed West. Within days of my arrival in Alberta I found myself longing for the life I had left behind – for the shops, the festivals, and for the friends - the friends I didn’t even realize I’d had. It turned out that Ottawa had become as much a part of my life as anything I’d taken comfort in up to then.
In the 6 months I lived in Alberta I did everything I could possibly do to get back to Ottawa, and finally did last May. My homecoming was bittersweet: I was eternally grateful to be back here, but I had to eat a lot of crow in the process. None of that mattered, though, the minute I pulled up to my friend Jodi’s house to pick up my apartment keys. I slipped back into my life in Ottawa like I had never left – with one exception – this time around I was grateful to be here. I found myself driving past landmarks and thinking to myself that I was lucky to be living in such a great city. I was making a point of spending time with my friends on a regular basis. I got out and experienced what the city had to offer, and I loved it!
This city has seen a lot with me – it has seen great success, harsh failures; it’s seen me burn bridges, and build networks; seen me love and have my heart broken; and this year, it has seen me lose my bestfriend – someone from Ottawa who let me into her orbit. These days I spend more of my time on the other side of the river, but it still doesn’t stop me from enjoying Ottawa. I savour every minute and I call it home – coming from a person from Newfoundland, that’s a pretty big statement.
So, Ottawa – the town that fun forgot. Thank you for 11 amazing years! Thank you for being hard on me; and thank you for being gentle. I love you more and more with every day that passes.
xo
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