Yep, I still can’t believe it myself. This girl right here, Miss Natalie Bell, is heading to the North American International Auto Show Press Preview this weekend!
I consider this one of those “is this for real?” moments. The email showed up before Christmas and I had to re-read it a gazillion times to make sure that it was meant for me!
The greatest thing about receiving the email was the fact that this is something I didn’t apply for, this was something that I was selected to attend, an exclusive invitation. I couldn’t have received a better early Christmas present.
I’m travelling to Detroit along with about 20 other wonderful Canadian media/bloggers on behalf of Ford Canada! Not only will I meet a ton of new people from around the globe, I will also reconnect with some of my favourite people, most of whom I consider friends online but have never had the chance to meet in person! Except for this guy:
Craig is a fellow blogger and amazing down-to-earth individual who happens to be a Community Manager at Ford. I met him in Toronto in October and we are like kindred spirits. Can’t wait to hang with him and the rest of the awesome Ford crew (I hear they are pretty fun)!
I know most of us will be publishing before, during and after posts so I’ve linked up a few of my blogger friends who have already posted about being selected at the end of this post so you can share the love I’m feeling with them too!
My experience over the last year with Ford Canada has been pretty awesome in itself. I had the opportunity to attend a Ford sustainability lunch event here in Winnipeg last summer.
Not only did I learn about the innovative sustainability efforts that Ford is undertaking, I also won a Ford C-MAX Energi hybrid car to drive for an entire week!
What a ride!
That wild and wacky time was in the summer of 2014, lo and behold I received another email around November to have the opportunity to interview Sheryl Connelly who is Ford’s Futurist! She is their global trend and futuring manager: the one person who predicts, investigates and researches all of the consumer trends for Ford. Before I even knew that I was attending NAIAS, I said yes to this interview, because, well, I love to do interviews. And heck, this woman was being interviewed by folks at CBS and other major media outlets the same day! I was in that same company folks…surreal.
By the time we actually did the interview, I knew that I was heading to Detroit for the auto show so I mentioned it to Sheryl and she told me that I need to come find her when I get there! You KNOW I will. Check out our awesome interview, the proof is in the puddin they say:
Note: Our interview can also be heard on my PegCityChat with Nat podcast/radio show.
And there you have it folks! I’m on my way to Detroit this weekend to attend the North American International Auto Show as media, on behalf Ford Canada, representing Winnipeg. Just writing that sentence brings me so much joy! I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything more. I am so blessed and honoured, I hope you’ll follow along with me for the whole trip.
Be sure to keep tabs on my Instagram, YouTube and of course Twitter using the hashtag #FordNAIAS for LIVE updates including pictures, videos, interviews and more, as I attend the many events and press conferences behind the scenes.
Huge thanks to Ford Canada for selecting me for this ridiculously awesome opportunity and a huge thanks to all of you who continue to read, listen, watch and support PegCityLovely!
Overflowing with gratitude and excitement!
Natalie
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