Additional Coverage:
- I’m a city girl who moved to an 80-person community in remote Canada. I never expected how much my life would improve. (businessinsider.com)
From City Girl to Yukon Dweller: A Vancouverite’s Unexpected Transformation
Lifelong city dweller Hilary Messer-Barrow never imagined herself living in a remote community. But love led her on an unexpected journey from bustling Vancouver, British Columbia, to the tiny, 80-person village of Beaver Creek, Yukon, in early 2019. Initially apprehensive, she quickly fell in love with her new surroundings and experienced a surprising personal transformation.
Messer-Barrow was immediately struck by the kindness and support of her neighbors. Despite the harsh weather conditions, including temperatures that plunge to -40°F, and the 10-hour round trip to the nearest hospital, the community’s spirit shone through.
Neighbors regularly check in on each other, offer to pick up groceries during their infrequent trips to the store five hours away, and readily lend a helping hand. Messer-Barrow recounts a time when she had a flat tire during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several passersby, including a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, stopped to assist. When their efforts proved unsuccessful, the officer drove 90 minutes to seek help from a knowledgeable neighbor.
“Up here,” Messer-Barrow explains, “that’s just what you do.”
Life in Beaver Creek also necessitated a change in Messer-Barrow’s culinary habits. Accustomed to the convenience of city living, she admits her pre-Yukon cooking experience was limited to frequenting the local Whole Foods salad bar.
Faced with a 10-hour round trip to the nearest grocery store, she had to quickly learn to cook and stock a pantry with provisions that would last six to eight weeks. Surprisingly, Messer-Barrow discovered a passion for cooking, meal planning, and preserving.
She now bakes her own bread and bagels, makes preserves and yogurt, and even whips up homemade treats like pies and candied fruit.
The vast wilderness surrounding Beaver Creek has also had a profound impact on Messer-Barrow. Initially concerned about the lack of amenities she was accustomed to in Vancouver, she discovered a newfound appreciation for the outdoors.
She now spends her days hiking and cross-country skiing, marveling at the untouched beauty of the Yukon landscape. Alone time in nature, once a source of loneliness during the long, dark winter months, has become the most restorative part of her day.
Adjusting to the extreme light and darkness of the Yukon presented another challenge. Arriving shortly after the winter solstice, Messer-Barrow found the short days and long nights exhausting.
However, she eventually adapted, embracing the nuances of darkness and the beauty of the moon and stars. The midnight sun of summer brought its own set of challenges, disrupting her sleep patterns and prompting a need for blackout curtains and a strict evening routine.
Despite her initial fears, Messer-Barrow has embraced the changes that life in Beaver Creek has brought. She has discovered a resilience she never knew she possessed and learned new skills, from cooking and preserving to changing a tire and navigating the wilderness. Reflecting on her journey, she expresses a sense of happiness and contentment, a testament to her remarkable adaptability and the transformative power of embracing the unexpected.