what makes you an "islander"?

Within the past couple of months, I’ve heard folks ask “How long does it take to become an Islander?”  There is an old saying that, if you were born on the Island and moved away when you were 2 days old, you are an Islander.  If you were born elsewhere and moved here when you were 2 days old, you are and always will be “from away”.

Being or becoming an Islander is, in my opinion, more about attitude than it is about where you were born. I lived "away" for many years and am so thankful to be home. Islanders are there at the drop of a hat to help one another. As a small business owner, I love the fact that it is so much less about competition with one another as it is about supporting and promoting one another so that we all succeed. If a person moves to the Island because they loved the atmosphere but then constantly complains that we don't have all the same amenities as they had when they lived in (insert any large city name....), that person will never be an Islander. If, however, they relish the fact that you know your neighbours, that a trip to the grocery store can take a long time because you run into so many folks you know, that if you get a flat tire on a rural road, someone will be sure to stop to help you out, that a visit to North Rustico to see the lights is a must-do Christmas tradition - then you are an Islander!

Islanders don’t ask folks “Where are you from?” in an effort to exclude those people “from away”.  It’s more to find a connection, a commonality.  Maybe your parents knew our parents.  Many Islanders have lived away and enjoy hearing news about their old stomping grounds. 
So, the next time someone asks you, “Where are you from?”, smile and simply enjoy the conversation!