“I long, as does every human being, to be at home where ever I find myself.”-Maya Angelou.

The other day someone asked me how long I had been with the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald and I stopped to think.

“It’s been two years,” I answered with a snivel of disbelief in the back of my mind.

Last week, December 4 to be exact, was the two-year anniversary date…and it’s been journey ever since. It still seems unbelievable to me that I’m now entering my third year working and living in the Roanoke-Chowan area.

To be honest it feels more like 10 years, but I guess that feeling can be attributed to the news business in general where one day can feel like a month and the work never stops.

In that short two year period, the Roanoke-Chowan area has been a learning ground and has become home. Though there are times in conversation I slip up and refer to New York as home. I suppose it will always be home.

However, the R-C area is my home simple because of the people I go to work with each day and the friends I have within the community.

I know a lot of people throughout the four counties (Gates County included) have their own opinion about the paper(s) we produce for you on a regular basis. You either love us, hate us or it’s a happy balance of love/hate.

Though I rather you love us, whatever your opinions know this: the News-Herald family is filled with good people.

Any of my co-workers here at the News-Herald office will tell you I was shy when I first got here, which is typical.

It takes me a while to warm up to people, before I let my guard down. It’s just how I am.

The fact I was still adjusting from not being in college anymore and not having my mom 45 minutes down the road didn’t help. After a few months, the proverbial ice was broken; a lot of laughs were exchanged and I realized the uniqueness of this tight-knit group.

While each of the two newspapers I work with before moving here had an open, laid back atmosphere—the people here are a trip and they care about what goes on in the R-C community.

There’s not a day that goes by where we’re not laughing and teasing one another about one thing or another.

Like my own family, they’re honest, loud and willing to answer or clam any of my questions and doubts.

Yes, my biological family is in New York, but my adopted Carolinian family is right here.

Amanda VanDerBroek is a Staff Writer for the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. For comments and column suggestions email: amanda.vanderbroek@r-cnews.com or call (252) 332-7209.