Never Forget Where You Come From

Eight years ago Barb Stegemann left Nova Scotia for British Columbia, taking with her some of the province’s most valued resources. She says the roads on the West Coast were “paved with gold” for someone with her experience and attitude.

“You become very sought after because you’ve got the Maritime approach. You’re friendly, you’ve got an education –and you have this incredible work ethic because – I know for us, we came from humble roots – you know how to work hard and you appreciate when you have a good job and you want to give it everything.”

Today, the Antigonish-raised Stegemann is back home in Nova Scotia, working as communications manager for Trade Centre Limited in Halifax and she couldn’t be happier.

“I left Nova Scotia like a lot of people, looking for new experiences,” says Stegemann. But, like so many, she knew she would always return.

“You’re shaped by this community and you care about this community, there’s a certain responsibility to return home and give all that learning, all that intellectual capital and come back and help,” says Stegemann.
“We have an expression, ‘never forget where you come from.’”

As Stegemann spent her years away in British Colombia she carried with her that mantra, biding her time until it was right. But knowing she wanted to return someday and deciding when, were two different things.

“It was something I reflected on for a long time,” she says, “(It was) a year’s journey in terms of getting back here and setting up my family and career.”

“Family is very important, an important part of why we came home,” she says. “I realized you have one window to connect your children with their grandparents. You don’t get it again, so that was a huge part of the decision.”

For others who hope to return, whatever their reason, Stegemann says planning is the key.

“(Come home) if you have a plan,” she says. “I wouldn’t recommend that anyone just show up, but if you have a plan you can come back, at least in my experience, and you do not have to compromise professionally at all.”

Stegemenn set about notifying all the people she’d remained in touch with, reaching out to her networks of friends, letting them know she was intent on coming home. Word spread, she watched for opportunities, and applied for jobs in her field in Nova Scotia from the security of her existing job. Within a year she was en route, family in tow.

“It’s wonderful to have earned some money, gotten some experience and now to come back and live a really good life.”

Assessing the move now, Stegemann says people are called home for some very deep, valuable reasons.

“You’re coming home for quality of life, you’re coming home because family is important, you’re coming home to ensure that your children, if you have children, are immersed in a community that’s very caring.”

Topping all that off, she adds with a smile, “You can buy a house for a lot less here.”

For her 12-year-old son Victor and seven-year-old daughter Ella, Stegemann says the move has proven to be a happy one.

“I told them, ‘you’re going to love Nova Scotia, it’s so friendly.’ But they had to find that for themselves.”

And they did.

“So the second day my son said, ‘I feel like I’ve lived here all my life.’ It was beautiful.”