Northern Youth Abroad

Monica Jacobson - Team Shakawe

It’s a long way from Tuk to Shakawe, Botswana where I am spending the summer. In Ottawa at orientation I learned that my cousin Waylon “Spuggy” Steen had passed away and I had a difficult choice to make – should I continue with the trip to Botswana or return home to the funeral. Then I thought about what Spuggy would want and knew that he would want me to take this opportunity because he was always happy for me when I was doing good things and his last words to me before I left were to ‘have fun and be careful’ and these words gave me the strength to carry on. I will always remember him, the good times we had and the good things he brought to me and my brothers!

As one of my group leaders says “I can’t believe a little girl from Tuk is here in Botswana”! The travel time to get here was way too long at times. I had to fly from Inuvik to Ottawa, from Montreal to Paris, from Paris to Johannesburg (South Africa), from Johannesburg to Gaborone (Botswana) and then the bus rides were just as unreal. The first bus ride from Gaborone to Maun took about 11 hrs with 1 break. The next bus ride from Maun to Shakawe took over 7 hours. The good thing about the all the travel were the movies and the conversations with other group members. Tracey kept me occupied with conversations about what we were expecting to see and experience, comparing our expectations about Africa. Over all I think someone said we travelled over 50 hours on airplanes and buses to get here, and we’ve got our first stamps in our passports. I was excited to get that first stamp! My first thought after arriving in Botswana was ‘So this is what my brother Sam saw’, he was here 3 years ago as an NYA participant.

The people here have been so helpful. In Gaborone Chili showed us around the capital, made sure we were safe at the University where we were staying, brought us to a local Arts & Craft Storea and arranged to have speakers present to the group about their country. One lecturer from the university was a very wise women who cares a great deal for her people, listening to her point of view and being able to ask her questions was really interesting. Chili also made sure we were on the bus and our luggage made it as well. A week after leaving Ottawa we arrived in Shakawe and were met by Patrick, a Peace Corp volunteer who lives at the Day Care with us. He gave us a tour of the town and a little information of where to get things.

On Monday we woke up to about 70 kids playing outside our room. This is when our Botswana experience began, we were introduced to the staff we would be working with for the next four weeks, and then we decided where we would begin to work. We had a choice between working in the kitchen with Mma. O who is the cook or in the classrooms. We will switch in a couple of weeks. I am working in the kitchen with Mma. O and we are starting to work faster together. She has worked her since 2006. The other day we bought a can opener because there was none in the kitchen. When Andrew gave it to her she thanked him and then asked him how to use it. All her life she used a knife, she says it is much easier using it.

Some of things that I didn’t expect were all the cows, donkeys, chickens and goats that just wander every where, it seems that no one owns them. It’s hard to know that many of the kids at the Day Care are orphans. Most of the houses are made of reeds and mud which after Gaborone and Maun I thought would be a little more modern. Lois & Karen were talking to someone who did not know that Twin Towers no longer existed and everyone thinks we are Chinese, Japanese or Korean. I am having a great time, I never expected to be able to come this far and I would like to thank NYA for the opportunity.

Emma Krueger - Team Maun

The summer is coming to a close, and oh what a summer it has been. It has been full of misadventures, misunderstandings, hardships, hard work, blood, sweat and tears. But also this summer has been full of team work, skill building, dedication, learning, re-learning, new foods, new cultures, new friends and laughter around every corner. As a team we have come through many challenges, but always with a smile in the end.

 

When our summer began we wrote up our goals as a team, and as a group we can say with our heads held high that we have accomplished all of them. The last, but likely the most important, one especially; “Make the most of our summer adventure.” All of us can say that we have made the most of our summer adventure, whether it be learning how to cook for a group, mixing cement till we swear our arms will break or simply enjoying each others company around a fire, sharing songs and games.

 

Personally, I have learned so much from this experience. One of the things I have definitely learned is how to adapt to other cultures; from using different appliances to eating different foods to having different interactions with people. Though I really have enjoyed meeting new people and spending time with the group and the women at the shelter, some of my favourite times are when I go for my daily run. Some times I have been joined by some of the others at the shelter, but for the most part it’s just me and the occasional herd of cows or a donkey or two. It’s these moments that I get to reflect back on what the day’s events have taught me or just to get a chance to catch up with myself. I came here expecting to have so much free time on my hands that I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. Instead I found that every moment of the day seemed to some how fill itself with work or team building or chores or whatever that I really needed those moments jogging to clear my head.

 

After all that has happened, it will be hard to say goodbye. But when has goodbye ever been easy? And the simple fact that all of us are sad to leave, must say something. I mean, if the experience hadn’t been something amazing, then we wouldn’t feel so sad about leaving. The experience we gained was worth the pain of leaving. There are a lot of things I will miss about this place. Things like the market on a hot afternoon or the animals wandering the streets, free to roam as they please or women at the shelter or any number of other things which have filled my life in this past month and a half. Most of all, I think I will miss the sky and everything about it, though especially the stars. I will never forget the night I lay under them and saw countless falling stars until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any more. We will all miss this place, but it is time to say goodbye and return home. In particular we would all like to send a special goodbye to JoJo, our big, quiet, green friend who was always there no matter where we went. BYE!

Tracy Evyagotailak - Team Shakawe

Ever since orientation the trip has been one  adventure after another. I never thought I would live in Africa let alone be in Africa volunteering. I guess you could say that dreams do come true. I’ve already been here three weeks , it’s been so fast. At times I can’t quite believe I am here...I could shed tears of happiness. Working at Belega Bana is so amazing. The teachers are friendly and so much fun to hang out with, they have a great sense of humour. The children are very cute! They are curious, extremely playful and if you’d ever meet them you’d fall in love with them.

 

So far I’ve helped out in the kitchen cooking lunches for the kids and staff and helping out in the classroom. Interacting with the kids is my fav, playing soccer, playing on the swings, around the yard and in the sandbox. We recently helped build a round-a-ville (small circular house) for an old woman. She is taking care of her niece and nephew who are orphaned. We also travelled outside of Shakawe.

 

Our first trip was to Ngepi Camp in Namibia (a remote tourist spot). We got to swim in the river is a croc cage. It is to keep the crocodiles and hippos out and keep us safe. We went on a bird watching hike through the village and along the river. We saw many interesting and beautiful birds. The mokoro trip (traditional canoe) was the best. We went along the Okovango River where we saw hippos, snakes and other animals. The hippos were amazing, they were huge. Later that week we went on a three day bush walk. We also went on a game drive where we got to see many animals: elephants, giraffes, kudus, impalas, monkeys, hippos, birds, crocodiles, warthogs, etc.

 

The bush walk was an amazing adventure / experience. All together we walked a whopping 32 kilometres. I never thought I could walk that much in two days. We overnighted in  Xakao and another village which I can’t remember the name of. The local people danced traditional dances for us and showed us a traditional healing ceremony.  Last Sunday we visited a crocodile farm which was tremendously interesting and I learned alot about them. The best part of that trip was that I got to hold a crocodile that was 7 months old.  I think he was more afraid than me.

 

On Friday we went to Tsodilo Hills ‘Mountain of the Gods”. There are two main hills, one called the female hill and the other the male hill. We took a hike over the female hill looking at the rock paintings that are hundreds of years old. We got to explore the caves and see artefacts from the actual hills. Tsdodilo Hills are the highest point in Botswana.

 

As for my trip it’s been exciting and I can’t wait to get home to share my stories, but at the same time I want to stay longer. Tomorrow we go to the Gumare Arts & Crafts Show in the morning and the Hambukushu Dance Festival in the afternoon. One of the performers I’ve seen here on TV in Shakawe while waiting for take-a-way (like take out). He was a great performer. So I am excited and looking forward to it. On our way back we are driving through the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. First we drive to Maun then leave there for the game drive. That will bring us to Gabarone where we will catch our flight to Johannesburg, on to Paris then home.

 

This trip has opened up my eyes to my future. I always wanted to become a carpenter or a cook/and or a baker. But now my plans for my future have changed. I am still deciding what I want to become after I graduate from high school next year. I will go home and finish high school and then I would like to move out and live on my own, but I`ll spend next summer at home and swim because I never got to swim in the Coppermine River this summer. One thing I will take with me is that I now know that I have many options to choose from when it comes to my future.

 

Peace!

Makittu Takpaungai-Salomonie - Team Maun

We all had a chance to be a group leader for a day last week. I enjoyed it and I would want to be a group leader for the program maybe in the next couple of years. Our responsibilities were to make sure everyone was up and ready to get to work at 8:30 with their stomach and water bottles filled up ready for the day. Everyone has their chores of the day and we have to make sure that these chores are done. When it was my day to be a group leader, Kristen and I went to town to get more groceries for the next couple of days. We walked about half an hour towards the town and a combi finally came and we got on it going in the wrong direction because it is always full when it is going towards the town. A combi is like taxi/bus. We had a very interesting combi ride, we saw why it’s always full, and there was a whole village behind where we live, which any of us didn’t know about. We came back just in time for lunch and continued working on our daily work, which group leaders also have to make sure that everyone is at hard work doing what they were assigned to. Towards the end of the night after we have eaten our supper, we make sure we have our chores picked out for the next day. We also have to make sure we are in bed by curfew which is 10:30 pm.

My favorite part of my trip was going into the Okavanga Delta national park. I got to see so many different kinds of animals including lions and lepards, they were my favorite part and just to have a relaxing weekend where I didn’t have to cook or other chores. Everything I have experienced here is all very exciting and different form all the places I have been to. I am very happy I was one of the twelve youth who was accepted to come here to Africa. It has been a great journey! Thank you NYA for giving me this great opportunity and putting together an awesome group…I mean SUPER AWESOME COOL group!!!

Charlene Simpson - Team Maun

Hey people of the world, It’s week three right? Ha-ha feels like months, but in a good way, anyways I’m Charlene Simpson from Yellowknife NWT, the only NWT participant in my group YAY for me, I’m caged up with four Nunavut girls in our shelter, literally I am, this place is gated, bared up windows and doors, yup it’s beautiful.

My weirdness has finally come out, Delma my good friend from Baker has noticed, so has Kristen our fabulous snack providing group leader, I think dear old’ Martyn knows it too. Anna Lisa you rock my socks off :D, Delma I still love you even if you lost the necklace, I know you didn’t mean too but its okay, I’ll be okay, I think it wanted to stay in Africa. It’s a long story but don’t worry about it.

 

We live in Maun and it’s beautiful, we went away this weekend to Ghanzi, when we got back, Delma and I agreed that we feel more at home. Oh this past weekend, we went to GTB (Ghanzi Trail Blazers) it’s very touristy, because I am a resident now, who happens to be from Canada and just volunteering for the summer but hey you don’t see me wearing the tourist outfit oh wait you can’t see me, well the outfit is very kaki, not very pretty after you see it some many times, oh off topic, so GTB was nice, I went barefoot in the sand, slept in a hut with Makittu, learned about the Khwe people who speak Kwe and they’re like the north, they wear the clothes to present the culture to people and its dying out like the Native cultures in Northwest Territories. We also swam in a quarry, it was clear blue water, very cold but once you got use to it, it was awesome, Emma and I were the first to jump in, instead of going the shallow slow way, Makittu needed help, so we encouraged her to jump, the owner Julian was surprised that we did it in Winter. This weekend was fun, we had great meals, met new people from all around the world, two dogs, we didn’t realize we were making memories, all we knew is we were having fun.

 

Well I’m over the limit, but hey this is an awesome program, and you other weird NWT teenagers should join, Botswana is beautiful, it’s like a fourth home now. It’s worth giving up two summers. Candace, Rebecca and Mike are AWESOME!!!

 

It’s been grins

 

Char

Karen Aglukark - Team Shakawe

My name is Karen Aglukark, and as a 17 year old YA from Arviat, I never would have thought that I would be laying here in Africa waiting for lunch to show up.

Despite the fact that I have already spent three weeks here in Botswana, the reality of being on African sand has just begun to sink in. As time moves along (far too quickly) and our team is constantly going from work to work to vacation and on, I find little time left to consider how amazingly lucky I am to be travelling so far with such a great group of people (most of the time).

Even more so, it is hard for me to believe that I have managed to live and sleep in the same room with eight other people for two weeks (without planning bloody murder). In all honesty, I think that I have gotten stuck with the best, yet weirdest, possible group of people. Although we do get on one another’s nerves now and again, our pranks and tricks have been keeping us on our toes with bright and ever-present smiles on our faces.

Nevertheless, it is probable that our happiness is the result of the plentiful adventures and “vacations” that we’ve been gracing ourselves with. Unfortunately, much of the variety in our meal plan has been sacrificed in order for us to continue with these educational excursions. Though we do work hard at the daycare, and in the community, these little side journeys make all the difference in our cultural exchange.

An example of such a journey is our three day trip to the famous Ngepi Camp that we took this past weekend. We traded full and filling meals for bird walks, mokoro (a traditional boat) rides and game drives with the Hambakushu people of Namibia (unfortunately there was no Angola trip). However, there are no regrets because we totally enjoyed the amazing views, sunburns, splashes, hippos, snakes and giraffes. All the great things in Namibia definitely made up for whatever malnutrition we may experience in the near future.

After we returned from the beautiful Ngepi Camp, we painted for a day and half, and then we headed out for a three day hike with the San people of northern Botswana. The San people are going through experiences that are very similar to those that the Canadian aboriginals of the 1950’s had gone through. Many San people have been placed in residential homes, far away from family, and many others have not managed to receive enough recognition from the government. Though the government of Botswana pays for all education, many San cannot exercise many of their rights because they have yet to become accustomed the ways of the modern world and all of its proprieties and procedures. Anyway, our hike was wonderful in its own terrible ways. In other words, we created our own individual experiences on the thirty-some kilometre hike, that made us all even more grateful of our little room here at the daycare. On our first day we had a real late, yet tasty, lunch and were graced with knowledge of the “toilet pit”. The next day we hiked some more and luckily walked into a little shop (junk food!) and made it to camp to find our tents ever-so-beautifully prepared. Also, we hiked with a group of twelve from England who were all, in a word, prepared. Team Shakawe was apparently “roughing it” as we walked in our sandals without a plan or first aid kit, whereas team England had satellite phones and matching pants. The best parts of the hike were the evenings spent around the campfire, watching the San show us their traditional dances and practices. All in all, the trip was one of a kind, and if given the chance I would do it again (with hiking boots!).

This entire trip has been terrific and I couldn’t ask for more. We have our hot showers, a close by Choppies (grocery store), Patrick (our personal planner) and of course we have eternally dirty feet. I’ve also been inspired by this trip to try many new things. This includes food, shaving all but a couple centimetres of my hair, jumping into the freezing cold Okavango River and now I am sure that I’ll be doing more international travelling.

If you told me to wrap my feelings about this trip into one word, I’d have to call you nuts because these notes have barely covered the tip of the iceberg. Everything is working out and no one has gone completely crazy, I’m just a bit disappointed that I’ve only got two more weeks in Africa. I definitely have to come back to Botswana someday.

Delma Kayuryuk - Team Maun

Hello Everyone!! My name is Delma Kayuryuk, from Baker Lake. I am here as a participant of Northern Youth Abroad. I am here in Botswana, Africa. The city we are in is Maun. Our group is Charlene Simpson, Emma Kruger, Annalisa Arnatsiaq, Makitu, and Me. We have been in Maun for about 2 weeks. It’s been a great week here in Maun.

 

This week we went on a Safari camping in Okavanga Delta which is 4 to 5 hour ride. The ride was pretty awesome on our way to the camp site we saw some animals, like Elephant, Giraffe, and Deer. We got to the camp site, unload our stuffs, then we went on our safari, the ride was about 3 to 4 hour tour, that was fun because we saw Elephant, some kind of birds and, some kind of Deer. Then we had to go to our camp because it was dark, and the time was about 6, while we were waiting for supper we played some games. Morning comes the guy’s wakes us up and we find that the guys cooked for us for breakfast. First morning on our safari we started heading to the land, to see if we could see animals we saw a leopard that was so awesome because the people of the camp said that they can’t really find leopards in the winter, but we were lucky to see the leopard, that was so cool to see one. After we saw the leopard we went and look for lions, again we were lucky to see lions, the lion was so awesome, the truck was near the lions and it was kind scary because we were so close to the lions it’s like I was going to get eaten.

 

Also the following day, the guy said that we are going on a boat trip that was cool because the boat we were on was so cool it had a top floor so we could ride on the top. The boat ride was about 2 to 3 hour ride then we saw a crocodile a little one but that was enough for the day. We could not swim in the water because we don’t know what is under there.  I took a lot of pictures, maybe I will share them to my family and friends. That was our camping trip. I would want to camp there again, but I can’t because there were lions and elephant and different animals living there near Kristen and Charlene’s tent.

 

Thanks

 

Delma

Team Maun

Kevin Iksiktaaryuk - Team Shakawe

Hey everyone! Its Kevin Iksiktaaryuk writing to you from Shakawe Botswana! Its been an awsome experience so far - 40 hours of travelling time, a whole different environment, and travelling with this group couldn’t have been better! After leaving Gaborone, and Maun we arrived in Shakawe on the evening of July 15^th after a 7 hour bus ride from Maun. We spent the first night at Beleca Bana daycare and the TOCaDI compound (Trust for Okavango, Cultural and Development Initiatives) which are next door to each other. The girls stayed at the daycare and the guys went to the TOCaDI where there was a big tent that we were staying in. That night when Steven, Tutuiya, and I were walking from the tent towards the room that we were storing our stuff  in we heard a really loud grunting noise, it was a hippo! The camp is fenced in but when we heard that hippo grunt for the first time we “freaked out” and ran back to the tent as fast as we could! Once we got into the tent we just burst out laughing at how scared we had gotten. It was dark outside so not being able to see where the hippo was made us think it might charge at us! The TOCaDI camp is on the banks of the Okavongo delta and the Hippos come out every night and make a lot of noise as they graze around on the banks. We have been looking every night for the hippos but it’s so dark we can only hear them. Over our first week we as have experienced a lot within our new surroundings. We met the Chief of Shakawe and were introduced to the headmen of the village, we also attended one of their traditional weekly meetings (Kgotla meeting). We also visited a secondary school where we buddied up with students our age and spent a morning attending classes to see what school is like in Botswana.

 

That same day we were able to watch the school drama group practice their skit for an upcoming national competition. Their drama tackles issues relevant to the youth of Botswana like HIV, rape and bullying it is really entertaining (lots of singing and drumming) and delivers a social message to the youth which is amazing. Aside from all of this we have been volunteering at the daycare everyday doing things like helping in the classroom, playing with the kids, helping in the kitchen, keeping up the grounds, building a garden, and fixing stuff. We fixed a few broken swings, the toilets and plan to build them a see-saw next week to add to the kid’s playground equipment. At the end of this week we will be helping with and attending a caregiver’s workshop which is to teach grandmothers about nutrition and how to build “sac” gardens (bags of earth that they can grow vegetables in). On Saturday we will be heading across the boarder to Namibia for a three day trip to a camp and lodge there. Well that’s all for now...Until next time!

 

Kevin

Team Shakawe

Steven Oovayuk - Team Shakawe, Botswana

Hey this is Steven Oovayuk, from Baker Lake, Nunavut. I'm a 2008 Participant for the International Phase for Northern Youth Abroad. My placement is in Shakawe Africa. Well we started our Orientation in Ottawa before we started our journey to Botswana Africa. Our Orientation helped us prepare for our trip. My Experience in the International phase was that I'm able to prepare myself to go on my own to new places that I've never gone before. Our trip was maybe a 21 hour trip to Africa which was not bad.

 

In Gaborone we had the chance to go see a lot of cool places and did some shopping. Also went to the theaters to go watch a movie. Also one of the things that we had to do was that we had to try to go to the University of Botswana on our own which the group leaders were testing us to see if we are able to go back without getting lost. So most of us were like which way do we go and we would ask for directions of how to get back to the University of Botswana. So that's one of the experiences that I have about going alone. At the university what I did was I would play with the Soccer Ball that me, Kevin and Tuk chipped in to buy at the mall, so we would play outside and kick around and try and kill some time around the area. Also I almost forgot when we were in Johannesburg we were staying at this hotel or something, during that evening just when I was going to sleep I heard a voice calling my name and I'm like who's saying my name, until I realize that Delma and Charlene were calling my name across the room telling me to come over cuz I think they were probably scared or something, they were saying that I should sleep with them because there were only 2 beds and most of everyone was sleeping in the other room. One day I think I felt kind of homesick cuz I never heard from my family yet so I was like well I'll be able to see them when I get back and this trip is only gonna take like 5 to 6 weeks so from there I was like I’m not gonna let this ruin my trip and I tried doing something that was fun.

 

Now we are in Maun and we are staying at this Hostel which is a very nice place and they have showers outside and their washrooms too. I really like that place cuz it's like being outdoors camping. We also are sleeping in a tent which is really great. Next time when I have the chance to go on my own I think i'm gonna be going back here to Africa which is a nice country and you get to see a lot of nice places and cool things. In a couple of days we are heading to our placements so I can't wait to get there and see how it looks.

 

Well that's all I have to say now so enjoy reading this Blog.

 

Steven Oovayuk

Baker Lake, Nu

Annalisa Arnatsiaq - Team Maun, Botswana

Hello Everyone!

 

I am Annalisa Arnatsiaq from Igloolik, Nunavut. I am here in Maun, Botswana with 6 other people, and they are Kristen Sawyers, Martyn Chapman, Charlene Simpson, Delma Kayuryuk, Emma Krueger and Makittu Salomonie. I am in the international phase of NYA. We are working in a place called W.A.R (Women against Rape) So far we have been here for 2 days now, and I have learned lots already, and hoping to learn more of their culture. We spent a night in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was really cold at night and in the morning, but we had fun there. From Johannesburg, we flew to Gaborone, Botswana. Spent couple of days there. We went shopping, and I was surprised to see how modern it is in Gaborone. We went to an arts and crafts shop, and they had so many interesting stuff. We are going back there on our way home, so that we could by souvenirs for our friends and family. Maun is a pretty good place to stay in. I think my summer is going to be short this year. So many to explore and experience what life is like in Africa. We are sharing a house with 3 other women, and they are so friendly. Babs is the women who works at the W.A.R office and it is fun talking with her. She was teaching me some setswana and it is interesting the way they pronounce their language. The kids here in Africa are so cute. We went to the sports complex, and they were playing soccer. After that we went to the town and was surfing through the stores. Anyway I have to go and I hope you enjoyed my blog.

 

Team Maun