World Traveller Returns Home to be 2015 Saskatchewanderer

Released on January 29, 2015

Ashlyn George is not your average tourist. Over the past five years, George has spent 24 months total travelling the globe. She has visited more than 300 cities in 37 countries.

Along the way, she has gone skydiving and bungee jumping in New Zealand, volcano boarding in Nicaragua and shipwreck diving in the Philippines. She has trekked through the Amazon rainforest in Peru.

Travelling is her passion and she didn’t know if she’d ever find a job that could excite her enough to stop travelling for 12 consecutive months. That is, until her mother sent her a job ad for the Saskatchewanderer position. She knew she had to apply.

While in Madagascar, George shot and edited her application video, wrote a cover letter, proofread her resume and submitted all the necessary materials. Despite the nine-hour time difference, George showed up for her interview right on time—via Skype.

Although George was only a couple of months into a planned six-month trip to Africa, as soon as the job offer came through, she began the search for a flight home. George currently lives in Saskatoon and grew up on a farm near Leslie.

“I wanted this job so much that I was willing to stop travelling the world and return to Saskatchewan,” George said. “Nothing beats meeting new people, trying new food and experiencing spectacular landscapes. And now I’m ready to do that in my home province: Saskatchewan. We enjoy a terrific quality of life here and I can’t wait to show the world that.”

“We are delighted to welcome Ashlyn back to her home province,” Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport Mark Docherty said. “I’m sure she, with her incredible travelling experience, will eagerly explore Saskatchewan with fresh eyes and share with the public what makes it a great place to live, work and play.”

“The agriculture industry is a vibrant and important part of Saskatchewan’s economy,” Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart said. “In order for it to remain as such, we need the public’s understanding and support of the sector. Ashlyn’s adventures as the Saskatchewanderer will showcase food production to those who may not be familiar with everything modern agriculture involves, helping to ensure that our farmers, ranchers and processors continue to have the social license necessary to operate.”

“Ashlyn’s passion for travel and for learning more about her home province is inspiring,” Minister responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan Jeremy Harrison said. “As a world traveller, she will bring a fresh perspective to the role of the 2015 Saskatchewanderer. Using her social media savvy, Ashlyn will now apply those talents to showcasing our province’s unique tourism.”

“CAA Saskatchewan is thrilled to help Ashlyn on her adventures by providing her with a brand-new vehicle, a CAA membership and gas cards,” CAA Saskatchewan President and CEO Fred Titanich said. “Throughout the year, Ashlyn will make a few stops at CAA Saskatchewan events and locations to meet members and visitors. Ashlyn is obviously a seasoned traveller and we look forward to working with her as she rediscovers Saskatchewan.”

CAA Saskatchewan is the exclusive sponsor of the 2015 Saskatchewanderer project.

Ashlyn is already busy planning her 2015 expeditions. If you have a story idea that you’d like to share with Ashlyn, contact her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. To keep up with the latest blogs, follow her on YouTube, or visit saskatchewanderer.ca.

She will be employed as the Saskatchewanderer until December 2015.

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For more information, contact:

Chelsea Coupal
Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5781
Email: chelsea.coupal@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-527-8152

World Traveller Returns Home to be 2015 Saskatchewanderer

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