For registered nurses Michaela Morrison and Nick Lanza, the search for a slower pace took them on an adventure around B.C. and, eventually, to their new home in Coldstream.
After coming from a city of nearly a million people, the change in pace took some getting used to, but Michaela and Nick quickly realized it was exactly the change they had been looking for.
“There is a very strong sense of community here,” they say. “People talk to one another and step up for each other.”
Learn more about their journey
The journey begins
Michaela and Nick both grew up in Southern Ontario and loved being close to their family and friends, but as the cities around them became increasingly busy, they started wondering what life might look like somewhere new.
Several of their friends had already made the move west, including to Vancouver and Vancouver Island, giving Michaela and Nick a glimpse of what was possible outside the cities they knew.
They decided to try travel nursing in different parts of B.C. and quickly fell in love with it.
“We just realized that life’s too short not to try something new,” they say. “And we saw that travel nursing could help us do that.”
They discovered that being a nurse in B.C. gave them the work-life balance they had been looking for, with the bonus of picturesque landscapes and access to the outdoor activities they had always wanted to enjoy.
“It was as if we found a vacation spot where we could work and live, and it was attainable.”
Finding their fit in the Interior
After travelling throughout B.C., Michaela and Nick knew exactly where they wanted to put down roots.
We fell in love with the Interior for its beautiful outdoors, unbelievably kind people, countless activities, and a more affordable cost of living. We adored the small-town feel without being isolated.
There have been countless moments throughout the journey that have confirmed they made the right decision, from building a home where friends and family can come to visit to finding unexpected connections in their new community.
When Michaela and Nick first purchased their new home, they discovered that their neighbours were friends of a senior nurse they knew – in fact, they had already met the couple on Halloween and remembered them as having the best decorations on the street.
A few months later, they found out their new manager was one of those new neighbours.
“It’s so nice to see a friendly face both at work and across the street while coming and going in between shifts,” they say.
“Just try it!”
Moving to the Interior has given Michaela and Nick more than a place to work, it’s has given them a place to build a life together. B.C. is where they bought a home, got engaged, and where they plan to get married next year.
For health-care professionals who have visited B.C. and caught themselves wondering, “Could I live here?” Michaela and Nick have some simple advice:
“If we can do it, you can too,” they say. “And you’ll be better for it!”
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