Northern Youth Abroad

Lynsey Landry from Fort Providence hosted in Richmond BC

Hello I’m Lynsey Landry, I’m staying in Richmond B.C. When I started my job at London Heritage Farm, I worked in the garden it was really beautiful. I stayed working there just for two days, and my new job was a fine arts school with children ages 4-5 years old, I work with some of the kids on drawing and reading or help with teachers cleaning up after snack time, lunch time. Well on the first week me and my placement buddy Justina watch two movies at the Richmond Movie Time. And went to the mall, art museum, and the public library down town. After we went to Vancouver with our host family, then we went to watch the fireworks show on Saturday at our host fathers office. It was awesome!. Also we went to a few parties with the family, it was fun. On the 31th few of us in B.C went to Playland, it was purple roses amazing :D I went on all rides but not the ones that cost $20. And the night market was bumping jellyfish cool. I’m starting to miss home but it’s almost over so I’ll stay by then.
See all you guys at the re-o next week :D This is Lyndsay/ Lynsey signing out, Laterz

Kanayok Klengenberg from Yellowknife hosted in Shakawe Botswana

July 17-18, 2010 

After Just about a week in Shakawe myself and the group decided to get away from Botshelo Trust Daycare for the weekend. Jeff (one of the group leaders) planned a cultural trip to Tsodilo Hills. These hills date back to the middle rock age, with humans having lived there for over 100,000 years. The site was about two hours drive south of Shakawe.

When we arrived we set up our tents, ate an early lunch, and filled up our water bottles for a four hour hike. There were four hills, and the hills were named: Male, Female, Child and Grandchild. The day we arrived in Tsodilo, the eight of us (plus our leader {Katy}) walked the Rhino Trail on the slopes of Female hill. On the Rhino Trail we saw amazing paintings that were at least 3000 years old. One of the big rocks we passed by had a rock formation of Africa, and on another big rock was another formation that looked like a map of Botswana; I found that amazing. The Bushmen, back in the day, used bone marrow, blood, rock (and some other stuff) to paint the rocks.

The next morning, my two group leaders (Donna & Jeff), myself and Joanna wanted to climb the tallest peak in Botswana, Male hill (1395m). The four of us (plus our guide Daci) started walking at seven in the morning. As we were walking in sand for almost an hour, we finally got to the bottom of the hill and took a break. From there it took about an hour and forty minutes to get to the top. While I was walking up the hill, I only concentrated on where I should step, as we had to jump from rock to rock. When we got to the halfway point, I looked back and the view just took my breath away. I was so amazed at the view I stayed quiet for almost five minutes. When we got to the top it made me think that I would miss living in Africa for some part of my teenage life. While staying at the top of the hill for an hour, we were taking pictures, having snacks, and writing our names on the plaque that marked the summit. Just before we got to the bottom of the hill, Daci showed us some nuts that were eaten by the Saan (Bushmen) people. The nuts were used a base for soups. When we were walking back to the tents, Daci told me that I should join the Army; I thought that was a nice compliment. 

Jeff, Donna, Kanayok and Joanna (from left)

July 16^th

Just before our trip to Tsodilo Hills, the group went to go meet the junior chief of Shakawe.  I remember waking up around nine in the morning.  After I woke up and had breakfast, I felt like taking a shower for the first time while being in Shakawe. I had no idea that the group was going to meet people, so I put on my work clothes. When Jeff came to tell us that we were going to go meet important people, he told us that we had to dress with fashion. So I had to change into the only the dress I brought. When girls here want to dress nice, there not supposed to show their shoulders because it’s a custom to be courteous. When we arrived to junior chief Mbambo’s office, he was asking us questions like: where were from; what’s it like living in the north; and how we are enjoying our stay in Shakawe? After talking around for a while, he looked at me and told me that he was going to give me a Setswana name; which is Naledi. I asked him what it meant, and he told me that Naledi means ‘star’. After he gave me that name, I was just blushing and saying thank you. Now, every time we see each other, he tells me; “Yes, Naledi; what can I do for you?”

Kanayok (Naledi) Klengenberg

Paula Piryuaq from Baker Lake hosted in Shakawe Botswana

July 14 – 21, 2010

Our first week in Africa.

 Africa......Wow!!!

 Most of us still can’t believe we’re in Africa.

 The first week went ok. We spent our first couple of days in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. That’s when we all met Chille, our main contact here in-country. We were doing Botswana orientation at the WUSC (World University Services of Canada) office with Chille and Martin. We also talked with Mai, a professor from the U of Botswana about culture and the San (Bushmen), and to Melissa about HIV and AIDS. Our group stayed at a bed and breakfast type place and it was sweet. Than we took off on the bus to Maun and spent the night at the Old Bridge Backpackers, right next to the river. It was cool. Arna and I slept in a tent with beds in it. The trees here are very nice....I’m gonna miss that.

And now we are in Shakawe working at the daycare...there are soo many cows and donkeys walking around, roaming the streets. The cows are a bit annoying. I got chased by a cow. That wasn’t fun.  But it got everyone laughing. There is a Choppies grocery store nearby so we just go there every night to shop for food.

I met some of the ladies that work at the daycare and was given a Setswana name on the first day. My name is now Lorato, which means love in Setswana. The kids are so cute and it made me want to cry when they sang. They were so happy and they sang so loud with big smiles on their faces...and most of them are orphans due to AIDS (approximately 60% of the daycare are orphans). They play with my hair and the boys try to braid my hair. They are so cute. But yeah...this is pretty much our first week in Africa. Oh... we sleep in the daycare on the floor with mats and yeah...we volunteer here painting and stuff like that. Eat, sleep and work is what we are doing here.

 J but its AWESOME!!!!!

Paula Piryuaq

 

 

Paula, above, with one of the children that she has met.

Arnarulunnguaq Audlaluk from Grise Fiord hosted in Shakawe Botswana

My name is Arnarulunnguaq Audlaluk from Grise Fiord, NU and I am doing the International Phase this year. Unfortunately I missed three days of Orientation, although I didn’t miss much except for the talk with the Botswana people, a few days of sessions, and getting to talk with the Canadian Phase kids about their first month and a half away from home. On the other hand, we had sessions with a few people to talk about HIV and AIDS, which was very important, and very knowledgeable. Most of our sessions were about preventing HIV and AIDS.

International Participants at Orientation. Arna is second from the right of bottom row.

 On our second last day in Canada, the group leaders and the International students went out shopping and did our laundry, which was important in preparing for our trip out to Shakawe, Botswana. It was really exhausting that day because it was 45C. When we were all done our shopping, we went back to MacSkimming to pack up our things. Then we went out to BOSTON PIZZA with the facilitators for supper.

 The next day we drove to the train station in Ottawa, then traveled 2 hours by bus to Montreal where we got our connecting flight to Paris. The flight from Montreal to Paris was six and half hours! It was exhausting just sitting there in the same spot! Once we touched down in Paris we hopped on a tour bus to the Eiffel Tower.  We got to the City and took another bus to drive around the tour sites to take pictures! Yes, we were actually tourists because we were on a double-decker bus that had no ceiling and you sit outside on the roof to take pictures. The bus stopped near the Eiffel Tower and we were all so thirsty, so a couple of the group leaders bought us bottled water. We stopped right under the tower and watched these awesome French Hip-Hop dancers (but I’ve seen better). When we were all ready to leave we walked to the metro station, and so we were there for at least half hour wondering which train we’re supposed to take. Somehow Duncan or Jeff got us somewhat lost!  Took countless trains to go back to the airport but we arrived in time for our connection to Johannesburg.

Participants in Paris.

 On the plane from Paris to Johannesburg most of us were either sleeping or watching movies for the long 9 hour flight. We finally touched down in Johannesburg and we were there about five hours just sitting and being tired. Although half way through surviving our jet lag we all had our little laughs and good times playing cards. While we were at the cafeteria in Johannesburg Lavinia, Alma, Paula, Wendy and Joanna and I were silly enough to go up and down the LONG escalators; some of us even went twice!

 We were then ready for our departure to Gaborone, which was an hour and a half plane ride. It wasn’t as bad as the rest of the plane rides. We spent four to five days in the capital of Botswana, Gaborone, to do our in-country Orientation, to hear a few words on the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in Botswana (nearly 20% of the population has HIV) as well as a session on the history of Botswana and the indigenous San people (aka Bushmen).

 After all this we were finally on the road to our home for the next 6 weeks in northern Botswana; a small border-town close to Namibia located on the beautiful Okavango Delta (Planet Earth was filmed there) called Shakawe. We started our journey with a 6.5hr bus ride to Maun. Maun is a jump off city for all the safari’s in Botswana. We stayed there for a night at the Old Bridge Backpackers, definitely a cool spot. In the morning we took a bus to Shakawe.

 Finally, after two days of traveling we are now here in Shakawe! This place is not so bad as I expected. We are living in a daycare and have chores such as doing the dishes, sweeping the floor, laundry, and making supper; so far, I have never made anything to eat, SHH! My International phase group members are, Joanna, Paula, Sam, Kanayok, Donavan and my group leader’s rock! It has been at least a week and half since we’ve been here in Shakawe and have already started some work projects. This is pretty much it. You all know about our journey here and all the effort it took.

  So, Peace Out!

Arnarulunnguaq Audlaluk