After 10 years in Regina, I've realized there's nowhere else I'd rather be

I recently marked a decade since I became an honourary Saskatchewanian. My younger self would never have believed it.

I was lucky enough to be raised on Vancouver Island. I had never owned a winter jacket or heard of a block heater and I could go an entire summer without a mosquito bite. There was no greater thrill than waking up to hear school was cancelled because there was snow in the forecast. It was paradise. 

Having family from coast to coast allowed me to travel throughout Canada. I was always proud that I had been to "every province in Canada, except Saskatchewan."

People understood. I had seen all of the provinces that needed to be seen. As anybody not from Saskatchewan would tell you, I wasn't missing much. 

Love blooms in Section X

In August 2009, I happened to be in Calgary for a football game when the Riders came to town. At this point, I only knew of one person from Saskatchewan I had met in my entire life. They were like mythical creatures to me.

Every once in a while there was a wholesome story in the news, or some obscure town was named the Coldest Place on Earth for a day, but Saskatchewanians were rarely seen out of their natural habitat. 

That August long weekend, Rider fans descended on McMahon Stadium by the thousands. They were loud, they were green, and they made sure that everybody knew exactly where they came from. I had never seen anything like it. 

Sitting next to me in Section X was a charming guy that had just driven in from Regina. Between his chirps at Henry Burris, he proudly told me he grew up in the village of Grayson, population 167. His dad was a farmer and his hometown was having a fundraiser soon to raise money for a new curling rink. He was every cliché I had ever known about the province.

I was in love with him by half time. 

My first trip to Saskatchewan came a month later for the Labour Day Classic. My expectations were very low. 

My new love had made a bold claim that Regina's Italian Star Deli has the best sandwiches in the world. If nothing else, I'd at least get a half-decent meal. 

'People are really lucky to live here'

He also told me that Taylor Field was fun and the pink lemonades were second to none, but it was really old, very cramped and the bathrooms didn't have hot water. He severely downplayed the magic that happened inside those crumbling walls. 

My first time at the old stadium would easily make the top five best days of my life. I had never experienced an atmosphere so electric and so fun. I met dozens of people that day, each one more friendly and welcoming than the last. 

I remember thinking to myself several times throughout the game that people are really lucky to live here but, oddly enough, everybody seemed to already know that. They truly believed that they lived in one of the best places in Canada. After that weekend, I was starting to believe it too. 

Those over-the-top-friendly people that I met that day at Taylor Field went on to become some of my best friends.- Krista Broda

After a few more trips to Regina — and more Italian Star Deli sandwiches than I'd like to admit — I started to pick up on the quirks that maybe only an outsider could see. 

The language they spoke was different than other provinces. I had a lot of questions about grid roads and sloughs and RMs (rural municipalities), and why everyone gave me a two-finger wave over their steering wheel as soon as I left a paved road. 

When winter arrived, I remember asking why perfectly good extension cords were littering the parking lots. I soon learned those were just Saskatchewan snow snakes. 

The people of Saskatchewan are as unique as the sunsets. I couldn't get enough. I had fallen in love with the province and the province loved me back. It felt like home. 

Still in love a decade later

On Nov. 30, 2009 – the day after the heartbreaking Grey Cup loss – I made the biggest and greatest decision of my life. I moved to Regina. 

I went on to marry that charming small town boy from Section X of McMahon Stadium. We raise our boys here, and they love where they live as much as we do. Those over-the-top-friendly people that I met that day at Taylor Field went on to become some of my best friends. 

I feel lucky to have had a front row seat to watch Regina blossom into a vibrant city full of creative entrepreneurs, world-class local shops and restaurants, and a craft beer scene that could rival anywhere in North America. 

So, Saskatchewan, please consider this my thank you for welcoming me with open arms and showing me – quite literally –  how to speak your language. 

There's nowhere else I'd rather be.

This column is part of CBC's Opinion section. For more information about this section, please read this editor's blog and our FAQ.

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