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I was fortunate enough to embark on my third Media Profile Work Away trip in May and had a wonderful experience. I decided to take my parents and visit Carolina Beach, a beach town in Pleasure Island, North Carolina. I fell in love with the town when I visited for a weekend back in November 2022, and knew I’d have to return for longer when the weather was warmer so I could fully immerse myself in the beach lifestyle. While there, we were able to relax with our family that lives in the state; we also learned a lot about the community through thelocal news and conversations with Carolina Beach residents.
When travelling in the United States, there are some overarching themes you come across when absorbing the news. If you flip on any major news network, you’ll see the topic of politics consistently being discussed, and sometimes, it can feel overwhelming. When you go out and talk to the locals, there’s always a little bit of fear in the back of your mind that they’ll bring up politics when they hear you’re from Canada.
Surprisingly, no one that my parents or I met on our trip ever did. Everyone was laid back and wanted to talk to us about the town, music, family, their favourite places to eat and drink and the places they’ve travelled to. We found this mindset reflected in the local news as well.
On Pleasure Island, media are focused on local news stories and events for residents across Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Wilmington, Ft. Fisher and other surrounding areas. While I was there, top stories included:
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Being from a big city like Toronto, I realized that sometimes we’re so tuned into the larger stories, that we forget about what’s going on in our own local communities. Going on this trip and talking to the locals taught me that no matter where you are, you can always find common ground with other people. We might not agree about everything, but we can find things that bond us together. Some might say that anyone could have a pleasant conversation about “fluff,” but those aren’t the important things that matter. Although that may be true, I challenge everyone to look for the good when meeting new people, rather than coming in with a mindset about what challenges may arise due to your differences. Coming in with an attitude of how to support and relate to one another, as well as how to make a positive impact in our communities can help us to grow. I hope to continue learning from locals and their perspectives as I travel and encourage everyone to stay open-minded and do the same.
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