Whadda Ya At?
I was sitting on a flight en route to Newfoundland for work when my seatmate turned to me and said:
“Whadda ya at?”
I’ve been to Newfoundland enough times to know that this is a "newfie" saying for “How’s it going?”—a greeting wrapped in warmth.
We struck up a conversation. His eyes brightened as he told me about taking his grandson cod fishing every summer—how he insists on wearing the same lucky hat, and how much he treasures being out on the water with his grandson.
It always struck me how genuinely friendly people are here.
We chatted about different parts of the island. When I mentioned I’d be working in Marystown next month, he told me about the incredible coastal views, the food, the people—speaking with the kind of passion that makes you fall in love with a place you haven’t even been to yet.
Home Away From Home
I landed in Deer Lake—Western Newfoundland’s main hub. Before I drive off to a remote community, I always make a stop at the Deer Lake beach.
I walk along the shoreline for a few minutes, letting the gravel shift beneath my feet. Then I sit.
Every time, without fail, something softens in me. There’s a quietness in that air—a kind of grounded calm—that I don’t feel anywhere else. The lake, the mountains, the steady stillness… it creates a kind of emotional clarity.
Each time I visit this beach, I feel a strong connection to Newfoundland—like a home away from home.
A Small Piece of Who I Am
Each time I come back to Newfoundland, I fall more in love—with the stunning landscape, the vibrant culture, and the kind people.
Sitting on that beach that day, I realized that Newfoundland has become a small but important part of my identity.
And as I thought about my conversation with my seatmate—about his stories and his love for his home—I understood something:
Travel doesn’t just show us new places. It reveals new parts of ourselves.
Where's Your Special Place?
Everyone has that special place they return to:
a quiet beach where the world slows down,
a lakeside cottage that holds generations of memories,
a cozy café in a city far from home.
Over time, that place becomes an important part of who you are.
For me, that place is Newfoundland — a place that reminds me of the kind of person and optometrist I want to be.
Maybe that’s the quiet power of travel:
It helps us remember who we truly are, and who we’re becoming.
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