A constant in our UBC lives is about to change. Typically, Gabriel, grey-haired and capped man greets us every morning of the year with the day’s newspaper and a warm boyish smile, as we step off of the bus. Gabriel has been handing out papers long enough to see the aquatic center rise from the dust, providing a foil to the changing environment of UBC. But on November 27th he received a call that the 24 hours Newspaper was shutting down. It would be the last day of distribution. This sudden closure, not only releases Gabriel from a steady source of income, but also his community at UBC.
Gabriel is originally from Toronto, Ontario and studied electronics at a college. But he struggled to access resources that would guide him along a career path, specifically one that he enjoyed. “I was always trying to figure out what I wanted to do! That was the hard part!” Gabriel eventually moved out to Vancouver a several years later to see family and decided to stay. He was happy to find a flexible job as a newspaper distributor with the 24 hours.On a typical day, he wakes up at 5 am to distribute the papers at 7 am, just before many of us are arriving at UBC. For him, the social aspects of the job make up for the other challenges, like the early hours and the weather. Like many of us new to Vancouver and the Campus, making connections has been difficult, but he noted that the connections he made with staff and students was what made “it really nice to come into work” and worthwhile. Many of us who were greeted by him everyday on our way to classes and exams, would say likewise, especially those of us whom he has known for years by name. Emotion crackles in his voice. “I’m very thankful for everyone who took the paper and that they were so nice and kind to me. ”
In this new chapter of his life, he is now asking himself, “What am I going to do next?” Aside from finding a new job, he hopes to invest time in his passion, music. He loves going to the Commodore, the Vogue, and following his favorite metal bands, such as Symphony X and hopes to catch a couple more shows and maybe even pick-up the guitar. Perhaps he will travel Japan, Scandinavia (Which has an awesome punk scene) and Iceland. But mostly he hopes to find social community.
For now, he leaves us with this advice. “Do something you like. Find something you enjoy. Be more compassionate to each other.”