So long, farewell

By Alexandra Sondeen
Guest Writer

It’s times like this when I’m not sure what to say. Well, I’ve never known a time like this in my short 22 years but clichés came about for a reason.
After working with The Manchester Enterprise in one form or another for over a year, I have to say goodbye. I’ve said goodbye before, but it’s a hard farewell this time, as I’m not just going back to college.
I’m leaving Manchester for a job in Jasper, Ind. as a general assignment reporter for The Herald. This is a big step out of what I’ve always known and into the unknown that is life as an adult. And frankly, it’s terrifying.
In uncertain times for print journalism, I’ve managed to land a good job for which I am eternally grateful though I have not yet even laid claim to my desk. And I have The Manchester Enterprise to thank for my success.
It was through our community newspaper that I was able to stretch my legs and get a footing in journalism. I came to the Enterprise just after my junior year of college looking for an internship that would increase my chances of getting a job after graduation. I found far more than that.
I found a family.
I enjoyed working for the paper so much I came back as a freelance writer and photographer after graduating from Eastern Michigan University in April. I’ve had a blast working on local stories for the last seven months and learning what community journalism is all about.
It was The Manchester Enterprise that gave me my first shot at professional journalism. The stories I wrote and spent hours covering led me to my first full-time position in the field and this giant step into real life.
But if there’s one person I must thank above any other, it is Daniel Lai. As the former editor, he let me in the door as an intern. He was my sounding board for ideas and my guidance when writing. Daniel let me pester him to death with questions and e-mails and tag along to production so I could see how everything was put together.
He taught me how to layout the paper using software on the computer and how to dance around sensitive issues when writing. His e-mail was routinely flooded with far too many of my photos for the paper, but never mentioned it. The man is tireless and I see great things for him in the future.
Last but not least, I must also thank the Manchester community. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people and learning new things while on the job. They were your stories that I told which led to this life-changing move. Thank you for the privilege of telling them.
From the deepest part of my heart, thank you all. I hope to visit often and will always harbor a vast love for my hometown, its people and The Manchester Enterprise. It’s so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen and goodbye. Goodbye, and I’ll see you around.
Alexandra Sondeen
Manchester