Pre France Press Conference
Disclaimer: When I was
10 years old, I had a list of a few things I wanted to have in my future, as
part of a school assignment (aah, Aurora Charter School!). One of the things I
wrote was that I wanted to be the subject of a press conference. Given I’m not
quite at that level of importance yet (although attending press conferences
have given me some very fond memories), I decided to be the subject of a
fictitious press conference. A few friends told me back in April, before I left
for Montreal and Paris, that they would be living vicariously through me for
the next few months. Hopefully this piece will give them that opportunity. As
the French say, Profitez-en!
Salim Valji: I’d like to thank all the members of the media for attending
this gathering here today. I know I’ve fielded some questions already, but I’ll
leave the floor open and be completely open with you all. Please just be
polite. Even though I’ll be living in France, I’m still a Canadian eh.
Peter Mansbridge,
CBC: First of all Salim, just talk about what prompted the sudden
departures. Being a guy who had never been away from home before, Montreal was
a pretty big step. Then you have the France offer a week later. What spurred
this desire to get away from Edmonton?
Salim Valji: Thanks,
Peter. Love the haircut, by the way.
I knew I was going to explode if I spent
another ‘normal’ summer in Edmonton.
I felt that my mind was regressing, and
something would explode if I didn’t have a change of scenery. It was
interesting though because I was in talks with a CFL team about joining their
communications team in some capacity. So, I put those talks on hold. I was
itching for a way out and if it meant passing up a job with a pro sports team,
so be it.
I applied for an internship agreement between the
governments of Alberta and Quebec. The program was pretty good. Students’
flights were paid for, a living allowance was given, and a decent hourly wage
was allotted.
On paper, it was easy for me to say yes. I had the chance to
look at all available internships, and the one most suited for my education
(the position was called Agent aux
Communications) was situated in Montreal. I pushed hard for that position,
and was fortunate enough to be given it. If the Quebec/Alberta Exchange hadn’t
worked out, I had plans to work in Jasper, Alberta in the summer as a
bartender.
Getting out of Edmonton was something I knew I had to do.
Looking at the same streets and restaurants and bars for another 12 consecutive
months was going to kill me. I think that when you’re young, your life
shouldn’t be predictable. You should take chances and leaps of faith because
you have nothing to lose. I recognized this fact back in January when I began
voraciously applying for any and all programs like this. And it turned out to
be effort that was well spent.
Paula Simon, Edmonton
Journal: Can you sum up the Montreal experience for us? Were your desires
to leave Edmonton justified? Did you notice differences in yourself when you
came back?
Salim Valji: It was much better than I thought it
would be. I was pretty petrified of being in a completely unfamiliar
environment, but it was the most fun summer I have ever had. A varsity athlete
I have had the pleasure of working with over the past three years, he himself
having immigrated to Canada, summed it up best in that when you’re by yourself
in an unfamiliar environment, you can be the person you actually want to be.
There’s no dogma or expectations, you can be you.
I took that last sentence to heart and conquered Montreal.
The city itself has such an array of districts and subcultures. The exchange
program made it quite easy to make friends within the city too. Being able to
establish a social life in a completely different city like that was definitely
daunting, but easy. People are awesome.
I can definitely say that my desires were justified. It was
not easy to battle with the nerves, but I was fortunate to be in an insulated
situation with there being other Alberta students in Montreal too. I gained
confidence and abilities that would have been impossible to get while still in
Edmonton.
James Duthie, TSN:
Thanks for the invite, Salim. Are you still focused on the goal of having your
name on the Stanley Cup and constructing a championship NHL team? Or will we
see you on the panel when you graduate from journalism school?
Salim Valji: My pleasure, James. To be honest,
living in Montreal put that goal into…perspective shall we say. I’m not
entirely focused on that anymore. Experiencing the culture and vibes of
Montreal did get me thinking about career possibilities outside of sports. I
know that when I come back from France, I will study for two years and complete
my journalism degree. I know I want to remain in that field. I’d say I still
have a preference, though not 100%, to work in sports in some capacity, not
necessarily spent bent over a desk analyzing scouting reports and game film and
analytics.
But France may bring that number down. It’s my job to go
into these experiences as open minded as possible. I will say that the business
field is certainly piquing my interest, as is expanding my portfolio as a
journalist.
Wolf Blitzer, CNN: Any fears about France, Salim? Montreal
is one thing, but you Canadians still have that good coffee over there. France
will be completely different. Any fears or concerns about temporarily moving to
a foreign country?
Salim Valji: Lots of fears. Lots of panic attacks.
Lots of nervousness. How will I fit into a foreign country? Will the
stereotypes about France and Europe (petty crime being rampant, not very kind
to foreigners) be true? Will I encounter racism? How will I build a social
life?
But, as Ted Moseby once said, “If you’re not scared, it
means you’re not taking a chance. And if you’re not taking a chance, what the
hell are you doing?” This is the stuff you do when you are young. My biggest
fear would have been caving in to the fear, not following my gut, and the years
I would spend regretting making the “safe” choice.
Salim Valji: I suppose that’s everything
(considering probably only four journalists would show up if I had an actual
press conference). I’ll hold another one of these when I return from France,
which is a few months from now. Hopefully you all can decipher the new accent!
