Hello everyone,

My name is Preston Manuel and I’m a participant with Northern Youth Abroad. I am from Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, which is near a part of the Mackenzie River, one of the largest rivers in Canada. I was accepted in 2021-2022 and was an alternative until June 3, when I got an email from NYA that they had a position for me, which I accepted. This is a great possibility for my future and it’s teaching me what it’s like in the south, to both work and live there. Although it was hard for me to leave my family, I know that Norman Wells is still the same place with the same people, but this was new for me.

When I was travelling through Yellowknife I met an old friend, which it made me feel a little better. I also met Sunshine and Shavonna, who were great people and made me feel better. But at the hotel, when I was alone, I wanted to go back home. I missed everyone, so I kept watching stuff on my phone and only got a little amount of sleep that day and the day before. I had a great time with my brothers and parents and grandparents but I needed this, so I can be a better person in the future.

So, I focused on the present and after that we got to meet the other participants in Ottawa, including Kayden, my placement buddy, he is a great man if I do say so myself. The four days at orientation were the best time of my life, having fun with the others. In the boys’ cabins the last night we watched some movie, which I fell asleep during because of how boring the movie was, it was still a good movie though. The next day we stayed at a hotel and I took a shower there (because I didn’t want to take a shower in the cabins). It was a great shower.

Kayden and I met our host family after getting off the train in London. I was nervous when I saw them but we met them and it went great. They were nice and kind for me and Kayden and it was a good car ride – I saw McDonald’s. We got home and we met the dog Morgan, who was a hyper dog. But now, after two weeks she’s happy with me and Kayden and now she has calmed down a bit.

There is lots of stuff and I needed to get used to, and I will need to get used to the roads again when I get back home, but this place is awesome. I loved to stay but I can’t. It was a great time watching William’s game of baseball, he lost but it was a great game. On the weekend we went to a farmers market and had breakfast at a restaurant called Jack’s. Everything was great on my birthday, July 10. We went to Niagara Falls, which was the best thing that ever happened on my birthday and everything was great.

That’s all I have, but everything is great. Thank you for listening to me talk about experiences at Northern Youth Abroad.