How a business trip detour inspired this Toronto couple to move to rural N.L.

Marie Magnin and Bobby Gormanwere abusy, successful couple in Toronto. But a chance detour on a business trip to Newfoundland and Labrador brought it all to an end in the best possible way.

"When you're in a big city you're dealing with the stress of getting to and from places all the time," saidMagnin, who now lives in Twillingate, N.L., with Gorman, her husband.

"But I think the biggest thing for us was that we really wanted to be somewhere where we could access the outdoors easily. And Toronto just wasn't giving that to us."

Magnin worked in marketing, and biked to work through the hectic city streets. Her job meant long hours, and she sometimes didn't get home until after 10 p.m.

Gormanwasin medical dental sales, an industry where he'd worked for nearly 20 years. His job oftentook him on the road.

In 2013, when a trip to Newfoundlandcame up, heinvited Magnin, then his girlfriend, to go along.

For Gorman, whose parents were Newfoundlanders, it was the first time backsince visiting his late grandmother in St. John's in his teens. It was Magnin'sfirst trip to the island.

The plan was to take care of business in the city andthen do some kayaking and explore Gros MorneNational Park. But the rain shortened their visit to the park, so the pair wentto Twillingateafter a recommendation from people they met along the way.

Little did they know the detour would be the start of a new life for them.

Series of coincidences

"We went out whale watching and went to a kitchen party, " Gormansaid.

"And a year and a half later, fast forward, we would get engaged and Marie says, 'Why don't we get married in Twillingate?' It was just a good opportunity to bring everyone to this tiny little remote community that we sort of fell in love with."

The couple boughta rental property in town, thinking to operate a B&B, on a trip to plan their wedding.Gorman, determined to stay, trained to be a kayak instructor and started his own business.

Then the town manager position opened up andMagnin jumped at the chance. Their fate was sealed they were in Twillingate for good.

Her first day of work was just over a year ago.

"The reason this job really appealed to meis that it really is connected to real things, whereas when you get into the business world, especially management levels of the business world, it kind of loses meaning. You're not very close to real people and real things," she said.

Along with landing Magnina new career, herjob interview brought new opportunities for her husband. She happened to mention that Gorman played hockey in his youth and one thing led to another.

"Bobby ended up at the stadium all weekend helping out with the hockey school. That was an introduction into a side of the community that probably would've been really hard for us to engage with."

Gormanreconnected with his old love of hockey and is now goalie for thesenior men's team, whose games are avidly followed by local fans.

During his first season playing with the Twillingate Combines, the team won the championship in the Central Newfoundland Hockey League.

Busier than ever

Aside from the hockey games, the couple keeps busy caring for their chickens, picking berries, renovating their old home and volunteering in the community.

Gorman said their new life is far from the slow pace they thought small-town living would bring.

"We're probablybusier now that we've moved here. But we're busy doing things we want to be doing."

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