Goodbye, and thank you

When I first took the job as editor for the Greene County Daily World, I was overjoyed. Sitting in my school-owned apartment in Minneapolis, I wondered what it would be like to make my first big move all by myself.

I was worried about the responsibilities I would have to take on in the position. I worried about getting my first car and finding an affordable apartment. There was a lot of stress that came with it, but the first time I saw my name in the paper next to the word, “editor,” it all felt worth it.

My time in the position of editor has been challenging, but I’ve learned a lot, met a lot of people, and experienced a lot of small-town delights that I never had before.

I’ve appreciated every email and phone call, whether they were compliments or complaints, and have grown a lot from my time here.

I will always be grateful that I got the opportunity to work at this paper, and to work with the people in this community who are out there doing the things I got to write about.

I’ll always remember my first full-time job and how much it allowed me to grow.

I’ve always heard people say that as a writer, you can only write about what you know. You have to be out there getting experiences if you want to be able to represent them. The kind of experience I think I need now is life experience, and when I board a plane and settle into my apartment in South Korea, that’s exactly what I’ll be getting.

My job here brought me many “firsts.” My first time reporting on an election, my first time reporting crime and my first time working with obituaries. This paper was my first paper, and will always hold a special place in my heart.

I know that I’ll be able to use what I’ve learned here for many years to come. Thank you to everyone who made me feel welcome here; I hope I was able to write some things you enjoyed reading.

Courtenay Parker was the editor of the Greene County Daily World.