Northern Youth Abroad

Billy Amarok - Hosted in Biggar, Saskatchewan

My name is Billy Amarok, I am from Chesterfield Inlet Nunavut, I am here in Biggar Saskatchewan. I am working at Spyder auto body. I like it there, the people I work with are always in a happy mood, me and my host family so far we traveled to Calgary we stopped at Hanna Alberta, Drumheller, Drumheller is the awesomest view I’ve seen in my life, it is a beautiful view, it was a river but now it is almost dry, you can see the erosion, the river was about one hundred to one hundred fifty feet deep, and Drumheller is a nice place. It also has dinosaur fossils and dinosaurs made by people, we also went to the Hutterite colonies at Springwater about an hour away from Biggar Saskatchewan they were telling us about how they live they make their own metal, soap, clothing etc.

 

Billy Amarok

Tammy Kinnowatner - Hosted in Springfield, ON

Hi it’s me Tammy,

I’m from Baker Lake. This summer I was working at a Day Camp in Springfield, Ontario with kids ages 6-12 years old and mainly in the morning we went to the playground to go play some games/activities and in the afternoon we mainly go swimming and when we go back to the church we have freezes and on Wednesday’s we go for a trip in St. Thomas and after work I would sometimes go swimming in the backyard with my host sister Catherine and my buddy Robyn and after supper we do anything we want to do maybe go back in the pool or go on-line or watch a movie or clean up J I met their friends and neighbours.

I learned how to drive a grass cutter, but I forget what it is called and we lived at a farming area yeah it was cool but too cold for me in Springfield! And my host dad Dave is cool but mainly he was away for work so we would only see him once a week and my host mom Diana she was so cool cause she let me do what ever I wanted to do like of course clean, I love cleaning up, and my host brother, I met him only twice cause he moved out to his girlfriends, and finally last but not least my host sister Catherine she is fun to be with and cool. My experience was being away from home and away for the first time down south.

Shawn Sivugat - Hosted in Biggar, Saskatchewan

Hi people my name is Shawn Sivugat and I’m from Clyde River. For five weeks I’m in Biggar Saskatchewan. I am having a great time here. We have been to Calgary last weekend and are going camping next weekend. I have the best host family and buddy. My host buddy’s name is Billy Amarok and he’s from Igluligaarjuk (Chesterfield Inlet). We have gone to Hanna, Kindersley, Drumheller, Rosetown and Sringwater. The best thing is that we are having fun here. My host mom works at the shape easy and my host dad works for coca-cola. Me and my buddy work at the auto body. Our work place is cool, people are nice to. And if we need help they help us. In my host home there are about 6 people it is like we are one happy family.

On our 2^nd week here we sent golfing on the 3^rd week we went bowling with our boss and his family. I hope other participants are having a great time to in there placement.

Thank you NYA for this great time.

Arthur Angootealuk - Hosted in Woodstock, ON

Hi I, Arthur Angootealuk had a wonderful time in Rondeau provincial park, that i was more than welcome to have a job at the maintenance shop even though we had a trip to Canada's Wonderland for a day, and the following sunday, we had no work on that day so I asked our boss his name was Johnathan Wild. And he made us welcome and made an enjoyable three weeks in Rondeau provincial Park. I experience in working in Construction, camp ground clean up, muscling, and taking out none native species in the area. there are many other subjects and many task to complete because the Rondeau park will be there for another 100 years it will never become dry, or will not be removed from the land unless there is a bad thing, such forest fire through out the thee wildlife.

Logan Kaniak and Arthur Angootealuk were working out and doing great activities together and we kept going on and on without having to do bad things like drinking alcohol and not touching drugs all within five to six weeks, we kept the rope zig-zagged in our hands. we agreed to everything that needs to be corrected and the sad time missing home. there was never a bad time but I had downs and took control and make it all the way through the weeks without parents having to tell me what to do and being alone without any buddy of my relative. I kept contacting my family by online and little on the phone. which were not very long calls and not a long time on the internet. I called for help but not in person only
on the other end of the telephone for five minutes, and I controlled my loneliness by being witt my placement buddy.

Everything could be great, when you have parents that have experience in working and dealing or handling with children at your age. Or any age group and they'll be there for you to answer any needs or any questions, so make it a choice live outside of your house for five weeks and experience in the job that you are going to handle in that point or that location and try not to disappoint your boss or your program coordinators or you could become a consequence in that session or stage. good luck when you get the chance to do this, just give it a try and explore your Canada Province's this is a great opportunity to hang out and have fun with alot of youth around the north.

Peace out and take care y'all.

Arthur Angootealuk (Coral Harbour)

Robyn Atatahak - Hosted in Springfield, ON

Hullooo.. Ma name is Robyn Atatahak. I’m fifteen years young & I live in Kugluktuk, NU. My placement buddy iz Tammy Kinnowatner from Baker Lake. We get along quite well and she's pretty cool to hang out with, still quiet though.. lolz. We have been placed in Springfield, Ontario. Er I would say Lyons. We have spent the summer with a very unique family. Diana and Dave Colley. They have a 10 yr old daughter and her name is Catherine and a 21 yr old son named Chad. We have done many things from touring farms around us, and takin tours around Niagara Falls.! Which is pretty cool cuz you don't get to see these things up North.!

As for my workplacement, it's goin great.. my last day was actually this past wednesday.. =[ I've been volunteering at the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority. It's a huge campsite area were there's seasonal & day campers. Seasonal as they live there all year round. Water sampling to camp maintaining.. even oil changes is what I've done this summer...! haha. I couldn't have asked for a better workplacement.! It's not only the environment, it's the people too.! They have made my experience super, especially Stephanie. My supervisor's name is Ed Peitzrak.. Won a few bets with my co-worker named Dylan.! haha. He's a talker.! lolz. Stephanie is a summer student that's attending University soon.. Brad and Barry.. Joey, Shylo and Adrian.! Their pretty perkey guys that talk and talk and talk.. I guess it went great cuz I fit in wit em.! haha.. joking.. They work in the shop as Groundskeepers/ Park Techs. I can say that I've worked with the guys in the shops more than the office stuff...mostly becuz I like to do things that are totally "hands on". Shop maintaining was soo much fun.. Gerry invited me to the board meetings, he is the chairman of the Authority, and he was soo amazed becuz it was the first time he's met an Inuit.!!!! HAHA.. well yeahh.. I also met some pretty awesome duudez and duudettez.! haha. I've learned a whole lot from the things that I have done and experienced... which is great for my future comings. Yeah, I've gotten homesick, don't we all? lolz. It's not until you leave home for a period of time that you realize how unique and special your home is. When we complete the program, we will all arrive in our home towns with knowledge of southern Canada and that we've all made many friends that we'll never forget.! Knowing that things happen for a reason and we have to figure out why... even it takes a whole summer of learning things that are totally different from our small town lives...

Anywayz, I'm out for now..

--Robyn*

Chelsey Elemie - Hosted in Salt Spring Island, BC

Hii Everybody.

This is Chelsey Elemie from Deline,NT
I am having myself a awesome time, here in Salt Spring Island, BC. It is so beautiful place, lots of tourists and it's just great, I love it! My work placement is taken place at the Lady Minto Hospital extended care. I help residents with their meals, play various games and entertaining and keeping them busy. They love it when i come in with a smile and they don't often get younger women to help keep them entertained. It’s nice knowing that i can help with things that they need.

My host family names are Ellie Parks and Nick Langford and a dog named Owen. They are Just Awesome and very nice of them to take two girls they don't even know into their homes. Ever since we arrived here, we did so many things that i never thought i would do. We went to a tea lavender party, rollerblading, watch movies at the fritz cinaplex, went to Nanaimo to meet Ellie's mom to have a picnic and hanged with two other participants name Manok and Sheldon. It was a lot of fun. went to Victoria and went sightseeing at the Parliament building and craigdrough Castle, it was very interesting, also went for boat riding, went to duncan for the North America Indigenous Games, It was so Awesome and Alot of people were there, but sucked because it was so hot over there, Holy Man! and last but not least We overnighted at her Brother Greg's House in Ladysmith and we watched the Fireworks, it was incredible and very Pretty.

So far my summer is Going Great and love every minute of it, i'm glad i got picked for this Program.
I am thrilled with everything that i did and glad to be a part of it. It was a good experience and knowing that i have done it, so thanks to the Nya Coordinators and to my host family that took us in, knowing we were strangers at first but they took a risk like i did. So once again "thanks" Maybe i'll try for the International Phase to Africa next year.

Chelsey Elemie, Deline, NT

Paula Piryuaq - Hosted in Abbotsford, BC

How much wood, would a wood chuck chuck, if a wood chuck could chuck wood?...I'm soo proud of myself. I have finally accomplished this riddle after how many years. Thx to mikes video.

My workplace was at the Greater Vancouver Zoo and it was a blast, seeing soo many different animals and people everyday. And people that I worked with at the zoo were awesome, Jody, Katie, Huge, Jamie, Craig, Brandy, Bonnie, Cyndy, Manita, Barbra, and many other people.

My host community is kool, but there aren't any cute boys here.

And finally my host family. They are FRIGGEN AWESOME!!! They are really nice people, and very funny. I have enjoyed staying at there house. And we also get along very good. Ali is my new favourite 16 year old vegetarian. She’s soo funny and she never stops talking and she watches very funny tv shows. But she makes us watch funny British Tv shows. She’s awesome.

I have to stop now. I hope that’s ok.. coz I'm too lazy to count how many words I have typed.

Paula Piryuaq (Baker Lake)

Mikki Noah - Hosted in Pembroke, ON

Hey,

Work placement, my work placement it’s fun I made three friends and they are good workers. I move things a lot of time and I paint, yeah I do everything they want me to do.

My life is better now because I never moved around to anywhere this is my first time and my host family they are great for me, they are very fun and they are very cool. I’m having fun with my host family I learn new things and cool things like how do the work and how to deal with this hot weather, and that they have to ride long to work and also they work almost everyday, and have to drive to go camping and they don’t get cold weather in the summer. And they have what we don’t have like sea-doo. Oh yeah and the city have lots of people and at night I see the city light everywhere. today July 21 I went to work at the city of Pembroke and I saw a big 20 days old pumpkin and long sun flows and I get to do hard work and I like it, my work placement is fun, first at the museum and the second is at the city of Pembroke and I like to help my host family by cooking and baby sitting. I have been busy a lot and I like it. This morning I went to work. Before I work I just sit around for a bit and than I was busy. I make lots of friends at my work placement. Today I went to a fair and it was fun, I was in the round thing that looks like a hammer and tea cup thing than I went to see the cows. Today I went water rafting it was fun I went under the water. My experience is going great I learn lots of new things. This program help me for all I need and I’m proud of it, I thank the nya for this.

Mikki Noah (Clyde River)

Annie Karpik - Hosted in Parksville, BC

Hey Everyone!

It’s Annie Karpik in Parksville, British Columbia! I am here with Alexandra Ungalaq my placement buddy.

My host family names are John (dad), Roz (mom), Neil (brother), and Jasmin (sister).

I am volunteering at the SOS (Society of Organized Services), and my placement supervisors are Kevin and Lyla.

So far I have been enjoying it here! We went to the movies and watched the “Love Guru”, It’s so funny! I also went on my first train ride! We went to the local street market, it goes on every Tuesday night.

We went out camping to the Qualicum Bay Resort. We went to Vancouver for a day to go shopping and to watch a baseball game, we went to an art gallery while we were in Vancouver and I saw a carving that was made by someone from back home.

My biological dad who lives in Comox came here and Alexandra and I spent the day with him.

We also went to Mount Washington yesterday and spent the day there.

AND!!! I got my tattoos today! On my right ankle I got my mom’s name (Idah), and on my left ankle I got my niece’s name (Joanne). I really thought I’d get their names since they have passed away.

 
I am having so much fun here! NYA ROCK’S!!! J

See you all very soon!

 
Annie

Donovan Simpson - Hosted in Port Elgin, ON

Hey Everyone this Donovan Simpson from Wha-Ti, NT. I am having a good time so far and my placement is at Port Elgin, Ontario. I enjoy staying here and my host-family are Marie and Ross Millette including there 10 year old son Jess. I'm working at a sports camp and I am working with children playing sports and field events. I'm doing different jobs all the time. We did fun things with my host-family like traveling meeting their family, going to Niagara Falls and had an awesome time there and funny, and doing many fun things. I didn't have home sick but I still miss my family and friends, I kind of miss my home town and CARIBOU. I can't live without caribou, but it's all good.

-D