'So much to be thankful for' - Amandine Ahrens reflects on her time as a journalist

I've always said it and I always will - writing stories for people on the South Coast and becoming a journalist in my hometown has been a dream come true.

How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

There's so much that can be said about this community and the inspirational people I've met during my time here.

From the characters I've met on the job and the mentors and journalists I've met within the company at Australian Company Media - I thank you all.

It all started for me when I was in high school and chose to do my work experience stint in Year 11 at the Bega District News in 2015.

I remember getting nervous walking up to the editor Ben Smyth but being instantly reassured by his warm smile, one the community has become familiar with during his many years at the paper.

After the work experience I became set on what I wanted to do, so I graduated high school, started university and applied again when a job opening came up in late 2020.

I still remember the shock and excitement coursing through my body when Ben told me the news over the phone.

From January 2021 to March 2024 I've written stories that range from all manner of topics.

From community profiles, volunteer-led achievements, council matters, accomplishments made by young leaders in community, weddings and re-cap stories on events in the likes of Wanderer Festival to Giiyong Festival and the Stand Tall youth event - to name a few.

You may have also read my animated first person articles from my hilarious winter swim fail (which went national, to my ego's detriment), to my experience as ambassador and model for the Sapphire Coast Wedding Fair and Trail in 2023.

I've been asked what the highlights of my career have been and what my favourite stories are. The latter is too hard to answer - there are simply too many.

What I can say is the biggest highlight is the trust people have put in me to tell their story. Every time we'd sit down for a chat be it in person or over the phone, I'd thoroughly enjoy the interview stage.

Next came the task of putting everything they said into a story. That's where I'd let my perfectionist side take over, because to me, every story was important and I wanted to do each person justice for what they shared with me.

During my time at ACM I've written stories on topics I'd have never imagined and found a passion for writing feature length profiles, but perhaps among the most unexpected highlights are the connections I forged with the Indigenous community here.

It was a trust-building process that took time but from the first story I covered I instantly felt drawn to pursuing it further and from there, gradually, I had the honour of hearing and respectfully sharing the great achievements made by the First Nations people of our area.

Sitting down for a yarn and listening to stories of culture is something I can happily do for hours and figuring out how to write it in a way that was both informative, respectful and true was something I'd always took extra care with, because I understood how special it was to have been trusted with it.

Some stories that stand out to me are the ones where local leaders decided to help revitalise language, from the Yanda Birtaj group's meeting, to the Djaadjawan Dancers' efforts, the Baalang Bogan program and of course the in-class cultural activities put in place by Michell and James Scott at Bega Valley Public School.

There are many more examples and stories I can refer to, however these are a few to show how inspiring it's been to see the efforts of various Indigenous leaders and members of community trying to revive language, dance and other cultural traditions in the area.

Covering stories like these will be one of the things I miss most as I move forward.

I've met people who've inspired me, people who moved me to tears as they've told me about their challenges and accomplishments.

One of the things that inspired me most was seeing how many volunteers we have in our community, people who generously volunteer their time and how important it is that these volunteer groups survive and continue to attract new members.

I've been blown away by the sheer kindness and stories of extraordinary acts of humanity in our community and seeing those has brought about a new meaning in my life and made me see my hometown in a different, brighter light.

To everyone that supported me on this journey, all the mentors within my team and across the company, the team at the Illawarra Mercury and all the community members who have supported me on my journey - I say thanks.

It's been an enriching three years filled with memories, experiences and encounters that I will carry with me into my life, both personally and professionally.