I am very excited to share the news that on October 30th, 2012 around 3am EST, @BlackBerryHelp rolled over 1,000,000 followers! For those who don’t know, @BlackBerryHelp is a team of 12 BlackBerry® experts who provide around-the-clock support for BlackBerry customers on Twitter®.

To help celebrate this milestone, we are holding a Twitter® chat on November 1st at 7pm EST so we can talk 1:1 with you and the rest of #TeamBlackBerry. During this chat we’d love to hear your thoughts on how we’re doing, and more importantly, how can we better assist you in the future! For information about this Twitter chat and how you can participate, make sure you check out our blog post Get Ready – Upcoming #My1stBlackBerry Twitter Chat.

On behalf of the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog team, congratulations again @BlackBerryHelp on reaching one million followers, and we look forward to celebrating the next milestone!

If you’re on Twitter, head over to http://twitter.com/BlackBerryHelp to leave the team a congratulatory message or post a comment below.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

In a short amount of time, the team behind our @BlackBerryHelp Twitter® account will be celebrating a huge new milestone: breaking the one million follower mark!

To celebrate this milestone, we want to talk 1:1 with #TeamBlackBerry and learn more about your personal histories, such as your first BlackBerry® smartphone or a unique experience you may have had with #TeamBlackBerry. So whether you are just getting started with a BlackBerry device or a long-time veteran, we’d love to hear your thoughts on how we’re doing and how we can better assist you in the future!

To take part in this Twitter chat, all you need to do is follow the @BlackBerryHelp Twitter account, and on November 1st at 7pm EST, search for the hashtag #My1stBlackBerry.

To help you get the most out of this Twitter Chat, here are a few tips:

• Introduce yourself when you join
• Be polite and friendly towards other participants
• Use the hashtag #My1stBlackBerry for all tweets during the chat
• When questions are asked using the format of Q1/Q2/Q3, indicate which question you are responding to by using the same format to respond; i.e. A1/A2/A3
• Share tweets with your followers using the retweet option
• If you are using the Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones app to follow along, consider using the Saved Search option to follow the chat

We look forward to chatting with you soon!

If you have ever made an appointment with a mechanic for your car, you know the first questions they ask are about the make, model and year followed by simply, “What’s wrong?” If you are like me and don’t know an engine block from a flux compositor, this can be a tough question. However, getting help for your BlackBerry® smartphone or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet is thankfully much easier than that!

Today I’m going to help you help us, by providing three steps for getting the information we need to get you the answers you need!

Before we begin: Back up, Back up, Back up!

I’ll say it again: back up! (Why the emphasis, you ask? Well, in my experience, swimming pools and consumer electronics don’t mix, so please learn from my mistakes.) We provide you with multiple ways to back up your BlackBerry devices, so before you make any changes to your device (or dive into a pool with your clothes on) we suggest performing one of the following steps.

BlackBerry smartphones:

• Back up using a PC
• Back up using a Mac
• Back up using BlackBerry Protect
• Back up to your Micro SD card (BlackBerry 7® OS and above)

BlackBerry PlayBook tablet:

• Back up using a PC
• Back up using a Mac

Step 1: The Device Model and current software version

Now that the backup is out of the way, let’s get started. The first thing we want to know is the model of your BlackBerry smartphone and the current software version. If you need a refresher on how to find this information, follow the steps below for your device:

BlackBerry® Device Software 5.0 and Below
1. Select “Options” from the Home Screen or from within a folder
2. Select “About”
3. The first line will provide the device model. Example: BlackBerry® 9700
4. The current version of software will start with a V. Example: v5.0.0.0

BlackBerry® 6 and BlackBerry® 7 OS
1. Select “Options” from the Home Screen or from within a folder
2. Select “Device”, then “About Device Versions”
3. The first line will provide the device model. Example: BlackBerry® 9800
4. We require the number that starts with a V. Example v7.0.0xxx

BlackBerry PlayBook tablet
1. Tap the gear icon in the top right of the Home screen
2. Tap “About” if not already viewing that screen
3. The current software version is located to the right of “OS Version”

Step 2: Explain the problem to us

The next thing we need is an explanation of the question or problem you are experiencing. We aren’t asking you to speak fluent nerd (that’s our job) – just provide us a description of what you are attempting, what is or is not happening, and what the expected results are.

If there is an error message or notification, the best thing you can do is record exactly what it says, and if possible the steps taken to encounter it. If one is not available, do your best to describe the steps taken before encountering the issue.

Examples:

• “I’ve received an error message when I launch the app ABCXYZ, the error is “unable to launch ABCXYZ, code 123456”
• “When I select X, I receive a message instead of the app opening. The message says…”
• “How do I change the password for my BlackBerry ID using my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet?”
• “I mistakenly deleted the icon for an app I downloaded from BlackBerry App World on my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. How do I get it back?”

Step 3: Provide us some key information

Last but definitely not least, provide us with a description of what you are trying to do or the problem you are experiencing. I would consider this to be the most difficult step, because you might not know what is and what is not working. Try your best to provide us with a detailed description. If you can’t, we will obviously still do our best to help you out.

Here are some questions to get you going:

• What features, apps or games are you experiencing difficulty with?
• When was the last time this worked, if ever?
• When did the issue first occur?
• Do you recall making any changes before experiencing the problem?

Lastly, make sure you read our earlier post for tips on where to get help and answers when you need them.

Have a question or comment about this post? Leave a message below!

Let’s get started:

1. Use the Help App on your BlackBerry device

If you want to know how to use an app or feature on your device, each and every BlackBerry® smartphone and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet comes with a Help app. You can search using keywords or select the “Getting Started” option, which will provide an overview of the features and functionality of the device you are using. Check out the screenshot below to see what the Help app looks like on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

2. Read the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog

The Inside BlackBerry Help Blog – which you’re reading right now! – is full of blog posts we’ve published to help you learn, explore and enjoy BlackBerry products. I have the luxury of knowing the topics available in archived posts because I work with the blog every day, but you might not, so let me provide you with a few tips for finding what you need.

To find blog posts which will help answer your questions, you have a couple of options. First, we have a search box in the top right corner — enter a keyword and hit search.

The second option is to scroll down the page and click on one of the tags we’ve added for your convenience on the right. The Tag Cloud has popular products and features; if, for example, you clicked on the “How-To” tag, you will be provided all the blog posts we tagged as having tips and tricks for BlackBerry products.

3. Search the BlackBerry Technical Solution Center

The BlackBerry Knowledge Base is an invaluable resource when you are looking for a solution or technical information about our products and services. If you are experiencing a problem, there is a good chance that someone has experienced already, and we’ve helped them solve it. Based on the issue, we’ve then created an article and added it to the knowledge base so you can find the answers you need fast.

The BlackBerry Knowledge Base also has technical information about our products. For example, imagine you are trying to find out what the maximum size of MicroSD media card your BlackBerry® Bold™ 9700 smartphone will support. If you search “MicroSD card sizes” in the BlackBerry Knowledge Base search bar, the first article found is KB05461 – MicroSD card sizes supported by the BlackBerry device software.

Note: Always check the “Environment” section of a BlackBerry Knowledge Base Article; this way you can ensure that the article you are viewing contains information relevant to the device you are using.

4. Ask Questions at the BlackBerry Support Community Forums

The BlackBerry Support Community Forums are full of knowledgeable BlackBerry users who are anxious to help out their peers. If you have a question, problem or just want to chat with other BlackBerry aficionados, then this is the place for you.

You are not required to have an account to browse, search for information and read the post; however, you are unable to participate in the community unless you register for an account. Registering for an account allows you to interact with other users and get the help you need — here’s a rundown of what members are able to do:

• Post new messages and reply to other members’ posts
• Receive e-mail when someone responds to a specific post or thread
• Exchange Private Messages with other members
• Personalize your experience in the community with literally hundreds of customization settings

Note: Check out the BlackBerry Support Communities’ Getting Started page to make sure you get the most out of the experience.

Speak Spanish or Indonesian? We have BlackBerry Support Communities for you as well!

• For our Spanish-speaking friends – Foros de Soporte Comunitario BlackBerry
• For our Indonesian-speaking friends – Forum Komunitas Dukungan BlackBerry

5. Follow @BlackBerryHelp on Twitter

From Monday to Saturday each week, the Research In Motion® (RIM®) Twitter® feed @BlackBerryHelp tweets tips, links to valuable information, and answers questions posed by BlackBerry users like you. Even if you don’t have a question to ask, I highly recommend following this feed because you never know what you might learn about your smartphone or tablet!

If you do have a question, let us do the leg work for you. We offer DM support, so ask your question or tell us about a problem you are having and we’ll provide a helpful link or solution via Twitter. Getting help has never been so easy.

Bonus: Watch videos at the BlackBerry Support YouTube Channel

If you are a visual learner like me, you’ll want to check out BlackBerry Help’s YouTube® page. You can watch videos which will help get you started with a new device; for example, the video guide to setting up an email address with your BlackBerry smartphone.

There are also lots of troubleshooting and how-to videos, like this one which explains updating BlackBerry PlayBook software.

Do you have a tip for getting BlackBerry help? Leave a comment below!

The postcard above was made using Scrapbook, a free app for the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet available on the BlackBerry App World™ storefront!

Hola #TeamBlackBerry, it’s time to introduce you to another face behind @AyudaBlackBerry! Jose (aka ^JC) is a traveller, a self-proclaimed gadget fanatic, and like all of our social support analysts, a true technical expert. He’s devoted to helping BlackBerry® customers solve technical issues, and deserves a round of applause for his high energy and strong work ethic. Although I don’t work with Jose on a daily basis (since he’s in Texas and I’m in Canada), I’ve heard that he’s a rock star in the office. He’s the type of guy who makes me proud to be part of #TeamBlackBerry!

Read on and get to know Jose a little better:

What is your favorite app developed by Research In Motion® (RIM®) for your BlackBerry smartphone?

I would have to say BlackBerry® Travel™! I love how I can enter my travel information and go without having to carry multiple printed documents.

What is your favorite BlackBerry smartphone tip/trick?

My favorite tip/trick is the Bedside Mode option inside the Clock application. While I like keeping my BlackBerry smartphone by my side at all times, I hate when email alerts wake me up. With Bedside Mode, I’ve created a special profile that silences all of my notifications – it even dims the display and turns off the radio communications. Be sure to check out Brian’s post about using the Bedside Mode on your BlackBerry smartphone for more!

What do you like best about your job?

I really like when I answer a customer’s question and receive confirmation that their issue was resolved. I also love hearing when my tips or solutions help fellow members of #TeamBlackBerry. And while it’s challenging to fit detailed responses within the 140-character limit on Twitter®, I always find creative ways to relay information and take care of our customers.

What is the most used tool on your BlackBerry smartphone?

I frequently use the BlackBerry® Device Analyzer application within BlackBerry® OS 7.1. It helps me keep track of activities that affect my device’s battery life, and even activates battery saving mode when I forget to charge my device.

How long have you been working for the Social Support Team?

By the end of this month, I will have been with the team for a full year.

Tell us a little about your growing up and where you’re from.

I was born and raised in Mexico City, but my family is originally from Spain. I moved to Dallas, Texas two and a half years ago, and really enjoy it here! While I do miss my friends from Mexico, I’m grateful for BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™), which helps me keep in touch with them.

I’ve always been interested in technology, and am definitely the type of guy who reads manuals and teaches friends and family about extra features that most people don’t know about. I guess it makes sense that I also LOVE gadgets. Whenever a new gadget comes out, I feel the urge to buy it (and more often than not, I end up getting it). Take my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet for instance – I got it the day it launched, and I’m so glad I did! It has literally replaced my personal computer.

Thanks for your time, Jose! Readers, let Jose know if you have any questions for him in the comments.

The postcard above was made using Scrapbook, a free app for the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet available on BlackBerry App World™!

If you like listening to music on your BlackBerry® smartphone, then keep an eye out for #BBTips from Jorge (aka ^JV) on @AyudaBlackBerry! In addition to being a lover of music and soccer (as evidenced in the postcard above), Jorge is an integral member of our Spanish social support team. Jorge is primarily responsible for answering customer questions on Twitter®, but also has a hand in operating the Foros de Soporte Comunitario de BlackBerry, which celebrated their one-year anniversary last month!

The Spanish social support team is a hardworking crew of BlackBerry technical experts. Their work can be taken for granted as we often overlook the fact that real people are responsible for answering questions on Twitter. My goal with this blog series is to foster a more direct connection between our customers and the people behind our social support channels – to put a face with a name (or in this case, initials)!

I met with Jorge last week and can confirm that he’s more than a voice on the Internet, so I encourage you to read on to get to know him a little better!

How long have you been working for the Social Support Team?

I joined Research in Motion® (RIM®) in 2008, and I joined the Social Support Team in January 2011.

What do you like best about your job?

It’s different every day, as we don’t always know what types of questions we’re going to see on Twitter and the forums.

What type of BlackBerry smartphone do you have?

Currently I’m working with two BlackBerry smartphones – the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9930 smartphones.

What is your favorite BlackBerry smartphone tip/trick?

I listen to music when I work out, so I love the audio shortcuts that allow you to quickly skip tracks:

• To skip to the next song, press and hold the Volume Up key.
• To replay the previous song, press and hold the Volume Down key.

What is your favorite app developed by RIM for your BlackBerry smartphone?

I have to say that BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) is my all-time favorite. It helps me keep in touch with my family in Guatemala.

Tell us a little about your growing up and where you’re from.

I was born in Guatemala City. When I was a year and a half, my parents moved to New Jersey. I was raised in New Jersey until my junior year in high school – then we moved to Dallas, Texas, and we have been here since 1998.

What type of music do you listen to? Do you listen to music at work? If so, what type of music do you prefer to listen to while you are working?

This is a tough one! I like all kinds of music so it all depends on the type of day I’m having. I like listening to house music to get pumped up for soccer games and on my way to work.

Listening to music at work is a must for me because it helps me concentrate. At the office, I like playing music on shuffle – on any given day I’ll listen to a wide variety of genres, including Merengue, Salsa, Bachata, R&B, House, Pop, Reggaeton and anything else from my playlist.

Thanks for your time, Jorge! Readers, let Jorge know if you have any questions for him in the comments.

The postcard above was made using Scrapbook, a free app for the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet available on the BlackBerry App World™ storefront!

Before I launched this blog series, did you know that Research In Motion (RIM®) had a Spanish-speaking social support Twitter® channel? More importantly, have you thought about the work required to manage a channel with 300,000+ followers? If you read our 2012 winning Shorty Industry Awards entry, you know that @AyudaBlackBerry has grown significantly over the past year. This growth would not have been possible without our reliable team of Spanish-speaking social support analysts, some of which I’ve already introduced you to (Ivan, Juan and John). And today, I’m pleased to share some insight about Noemi (aka ^NL), our leading lady behind @AyudaBlackBerry!

Read on to learn more about Noemi’s personal and professional life (and her favorite #BBTips)!

How long have you been working for the RIM Social Support Team?

I joined the team back in January of 2010. I had been working on phone support with Latin American carriers and customers for 2+ years already so it was a new frontier for me.

What type of BlackBerry smartphone do you have?

I have my beloved BlackBerry® Bold™ 9930 smartphone – I really don’t know what I would do without it! I can listen to my music, read my emails, chat and play games – talk about multitasking!

What is the most used tool on your BlackBerry smartphone?

My emails – I like staying up to speed on everything and am obsessed with reading my email any chance I get, even at midnight.

What is your favorite BlackBerry smartphone tip/trick?

I love being able to easily send an email I drafted by pressing the Menu key twice. As a Spanish user, I also love being able to make a “ñ” by simply pressing N + scroll.

What is your favorite app developed by RIM for your BlackBerry smartphone?

BlackBerry® Maps – it has saved me more than once. No matter where I go, I know I always have my sidekick to guide me.

Tell us a little about your growing up and where you’re from.

I was born in La Paz, Bolivia. My family moved to Dallas, Texas when I was nine years old. We traveled back and forth a lot and I went to college in Bolivia. I graduated from the Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo” with a degree in Systems Engineering.

What is your native tongue and when did you learn your second language?

I was raised in a Spanish environment and learned English when I was nine years old.

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food in La Paz is Salteñas, which are usually served around 10 in the morning. They are like empanadas filled with chicken or beef.

What type of music do you listen to? Do you listen to music at work? If so, what type of music do you prefer to listen to while you are working?

I listen to all different types of music, depending on what kind of mood I’m in. I can listen to Laura Pausini, Rosana, or Matchbox Twenty and The Black Eyed Peas, or even some good old country. I ALWAYS listen to music at work – it helps me concentrate.

Thanks for your time, Noemi! Readers, let Noemi know if you have any questions for her in the comments.

Hey #TeamBlackBerry, it’s time to introduce you to another member of @AyudaBlackBerry, our Spanish-speaking Twitter® handle! John (AKA ^JAV) started working for RIM as part of the pilot program that ultimately launched @AyudaBlackBerry and the larger Spanish social support program. He’s seen the Twitter handle grow from 2,000 to 300,000 followers! John’s a true technical expert and BlackBerry® product fanatic, as evidenced by his impressive collection of BlackBerry devices.

(In case you’re curious, the postcard above was made using Scrapbook, a free app for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet available in BlackBerry App World!)

Read on to learn more about John!

IBB: How long have you been working for the Social Support Team?

^JAV: A little over two years – I originally started in January 2010 as part of the Spanish-speaking pilot program. There were about half a dozen of us who would take turns moderating the Spanish BlackBerry Community Forums and Twitter. @AyudaBlackBerry had 2,000 followers, and within eight months, after an official team (of two analysts) had been created, there were 6,000…and we’ve only continued to grow!

What type of BlackBerry smartphone do you have?

Currently my thumbs are typing away on my BlackBerry® Curve™ 9360 smartphone and my BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone. Although I often get nostalgic and pull out my older devices:

What BlackBerry apps are most useful to you?

It’s a tie between Memo Pad (with BlackBerry® Bridge™!) and Password Keeper. I have to write everything down before I forget it, and these two tools help me do just that!

What is your favorite BlackBerry smartphone tip/trick?

Being able to quickly capitalize a letter (especially useful for names!) or add accents to characters. I always love the reaction I get when I show people how easy it is to do these things on a BlackBerry smartphone!

• To capitalize a letter, simply press and hold the key for about three seconds
• To add accents to a character, press and hold the letter key and move the track pad up/down or left/right to see each special character available with that letter

How do you enjoy spending your personal time?

I spend most of my free time with my family, but have always been a big fan of video games and spontaneous road trips. I have a one-year-old son who I love hanging out with. And when he’s napping, I occasionally sneak in a few minutes of Plants vs Zombies on my BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet.

What type of music do you listen to? Do you listen to music at work? If so, what type of music do you prefer to listen to while you are working?

I listen to whatever my BBM Music friends have on their playlists. It varies greatly from Kanye West to Brad Paisley to Pitbull to Queens of the Stone Age. At work, you’ll catch me listening to Deadmau5 or Girl Talk.

Got a question for John? Leave a comment and let us know!

Now that I’ve introduced the faces behind @BlackBerryHelp, I’m happy to have the opportunity to share some inside info about our Spanish support channel, @AyudaBlackBerry. Back in October, I had a chance to chat with Ivan in our Dallas office about his experience working for the Spanish-speaking social support channels, and today, I’d like to introduce one of the original @AyudaBlackBerry analysts, Juan (^JL). Read on for some insider tips from Juan and to learn about his background and longtime love for technology.

HELP BLOG: Do you primarily respond in Spanish, or does @AyudaBlackBerry also see questions and requests written in English?

JUAN: Most of the time, we respond in Spanish. When we occasionally see a question in another language, we do our best to provide a response, even if it’s just to direct the user to another resource (@BlackBerryHelp, @BlackBerryBantu, etc).

How long have you been working for the Social Support Team?

I’ve been working for Research In Motion® (RIM®) since August 2008. I started as a phone support rep and transitioned to the social support team in August 2010. It’s been a wonderful four years working here and supporting our customers!

How has the BlackBerry Help community grown and developed since you first started?

When I started working for the social support team, there were only two analysts: John V. (aka ^JAV) and me. @AyudaBlackBerry had merely 3000 followers. There was a Spanish section of the support forums but user traffic was very low. Now, we have close to 300,000 followers on Twitter®, a dedicated Community Manager for our Spanish Support Forums, and an increased presence on Facebook®. In addition to this, RIM has expanded its global Twitter presence with several handles in other countries that direct customers to the Spanish-speaking channels on a regular basis.

We’ve grown very fast since I started working here, which just goes to show that BlackBerry products have a strong presence in Latin America and Europe.

What is your favorite BlackBerry smartphone tip/trick?

Man, there are so many but I really love being able to quickly change the sound profile from normal (or whichever you happen to have) to vibrate by holding the “Q” key. I use this feature often, especially during meetings.

Tell us a little about yourself growing up and where you’re from.

I’m originally from Mexico and grew up in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, surrounded by lots of family. I have two sisters, a younger brother and several uncles and cousins. I also have family in Texas and have spent a lot of time with my relatives in Houston and Bryan. I’ve lived in Dallas since 1992.

I had a lot of exposure to technology growing up. I spent summers watching Japanese cartoons in Spanish (does anyone remember ROBOTECH??) and have always loved video games. I didn’t own a home console until college, but I was a big fan of video arcades (and sad that they’re practically extinct these days)!

I really started to develop my passion for technology in junior high while taking a course on general electricity. I attended college at the Instituto Tecnologico y Estudios Superios de Monterrey, one of the most prominent schools in Mexico. I’ll never forget my time there, especially since it’s where I met my future wife (we were both members of the campus Anime Club).

What type of music do you listen to? Do you listen to music at work? If so, what type of music do you prefer to listen to while you are working?

I don’t have one particular genre of preference. I grew up listening to Ranchero, Mexican folk and Tejano. I really like anything with a catchy rhythm! During the workday I like listening to BBM™ Music because it exposes me to different songs and artists that I otherwise wouldn’t have known about. I also love how my playlist is always changing and growing as I add more friends on BBM.

Recently, I’ve been listening to a DJ that calls himself GirlTalk. He mixes classic rock and retro music with contemporary musicians.

Got a question for Juan? Leave a comment and let us know!

Happy Tuesday #TeamBlackBerry! After today, I will have formally introduced you to all of our Social Support Analysts. Don’t worry though, that doesn’t mean anything is changing. You’ll continue to see individual team members tweeting from @BlackBerryHelp and answering questions here on the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog. We hope you’ve enjoyed meeting the people behind the scenes and putting a face with a name (or initials, rather). I may sound like a broken record by now, but I cannot give our analysts enough thanks for all that they do. They are truly technical experts whom I feel privileged to work with on a daily basis.

As I wrap up this series, I’m pleased to introduce you to the last (but certainly not least) member of our team, Ritu (aka ^RG).

What do you like best about your job?

I enjoy being able to talk to the @BlackBerryHelp users one to one and help them solve their issues – it is always a great feeling when the user replies to you and thanks you for answering their BlackBerry® device questions. Also, to be perfectly honest – I also really like playing with my BlackBerry® smartphone and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet

What type of BlackBerry smartphone do you have?

I actually have two BlackBerry devices (yes, I am that much of a geek) – the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 smartphone (I enjoy the touchscreen & keyboard combo) and the BlackBerry® Curve™ 9360 smartphone (I love BlackBerry® 7 OS!).

What is the most used tool on your BlackBerry smartphone?

I am big on organization; therefore I love the BlackBerry Calendar application. I also like the MemoPad app – I use it for everything, even my grocery list!

What is your favorite BlackBerry smartphone tip/trick?

My favorite tip is changing the signal strength indicator on the home screen of the BlackBerry device by clicking Alt + NMLL. To try out this tip on your BlackBerry smartphone, check out KB02142 which can be found in the BlackBerry Technical Solution Center, in addition to KB03024 for an explanation of the numeric signal strengths.

What is your favorite BlackBerry application?

BlackBerry® Protect is my favorite; it’s convenient having the automatic backup once a week, and the Loud Ring functionality has also come in handy very often.

Tell us a little about your growing up and where you’re from.

I am a Maritime girl through and through. I was born and brought up in Moncton, New Brunswick and moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to attend Saint Mary’s University. I have lived here ever since — I love it.

What is your favorite food?

I am what you would call a foodie. I love going out to various restaurants in Halifax; my favorites are sushi and Thai. Also, my mom would be upset if I didn’t mention her amazing Indian food — it’s the best!

Got a question for Ritu? Ask away in the comments!