Stories from Sackville, Part II: Fame and Fortune

During my five days in Sackville, I was continually thinking of how I could explain what was so special about that place, why I was so happy to be there. To someone at American University or from any larger city, this is what I would say.

After one or two semesters at Mount Allison, you're basically guaranteed to be a celebrity. This becomes particularly obvious after spending some time abroad. From the moment I arrived at the train station in Sackville to the moment I got onto the train back to DC, all I did was chat (in a real, not virtual sense) with dozens of people who all knew me: my hometown, my program, my extra-curriculars, my interests, my family, etc. Without any pre-arranged meetings, I easily saw over thirty of my closest friends: peers, profs, staff, friends at the nursing home, friends at the Special Populations Program, and other community members. Breakfast was the only meal I ever had alone.

Literally, every day, I would get up, have breakfast, go wander the town and campus and wait to be accosted. This is by no means an exceptional treatment; the same would happen to anyone visiting or returning to Sackville after any “prolonged” time away. Moreover, I sometimes noticed my friends first and quickly showed them how special they are to me. Honestly, I couldn't be any happier to see someone, even if they were famous by popular standards and I couldn't be any more flattered by all those excited to see me, even if there were the typical masses that greet “real” celebrities.

But that's just an explanation for city folks. For you confused hillbillies who aren't quite sure what I'm getting at, in laymen terms we say that there's a beautiful community in Sackville.