Angus, Dakota, Valerie, Mickey, Jaylene, Jamesie and Tim visiting a Mayan Ruin

Hey everyone, Angus here again. I’m here to talk to you about my trip to Guatemala this summer.

My research blog is about the housing in Guatemala. They aren’t the same as the houses here in Canada. Most houses in Guatemala are made completely from concrete. Also the inside of the houses in Guatemala are like a maze. You have to make so many turns to get to the bathroom, or you can just go straight to it from the door. Most houses in Guatemala have the straight roof where you can have a patio on your roof top.

In Guatemala you have very limited water because most of it isn’t sanitized. We in Canada have to appreciate what we have and what we have access to and should respect the land. People around the world are fighting for what we have, while we keep wanting more.

Any who, during my trip in Guatemala my group and I had a great time. Sure we had our ups and downs but we fought through the whole summer. We met a wonderful couple whom we made the house for. Walter, the man who is visually impaired and his wife, I believe that her name is Martha. The company we partnered with in Guatemala is called “Habitat for Humanity”. They help a lot of families whom are having trouble with housing in the country of Guatemala. Over the years they have helped make 75,000 homes to families in need.

After traveling to this beautiful place I have learnt to appreciate what I have in my community of Gjoa Haven, NU and it makes be believe that we as a country can make a better living then we already have. We should be able to help out each other as much as possible.

During the program it is a struggle being far away from home for a long time but at the end of the program you feel a whole lot of pride and excitement for yourself and your family.

One of my highlights during our trip was hiking up the Pacaya Volcano, which was an 8km hike – 4km up and 4km back down. Another highlight was having a bbq and pool party with a bunch of school children. Seeing all the smiles on their faces brightened my day.

If you plan on applying for Northern Youth Abroad I 100% recommend it to those who are eligible.

Thank you for taking time to read my blog.

Angus Hiqiniq, Gjoa Haven,