Hello, My name is Troy Tutcho and I am 18. I am from a small community in the NWT called Colville Lake. I am one of the 15 participants that got to go to Ottawa this summer. The reason why I am here at NYA Next program is that I wanted to experience what college/university life is like. I also wanted to see what it would be like leaving my family for four weeks. I knew it would be a good experience to see how living in the city and also make more connections to others who were going to the program since some might also be going to the same university I am aiming for. So far two others are going to MRU at the same time as me and for that, it was worth going to the program since I will not be as alone when leaving for university.

While waiting for the program’s start date, I felt excited and somewhat nervous about going so far away from home. Nonetheless, I did feel prepared to travel when I left my hometown and when I landed in Yellowknife I met one of the group leaders, Shantel. When we started to head to the other airport I met the other leader, Heyley. At first, I was nervous since I did not know the other there but as time went on I talked to some of them but it was not as bad as I thought it might be.  The only thing that I would say that I disliked about flying was the wait since that day I was on the plane for over 9.30 hours and in the airport for the rest of the day. 

During my time at NYA, it was an amazing experience since I learned so many different skills and even improved the ones I had. The skills I got during the NYA were carpentry, using the bus, and serving food. I am building a dog house in the trades class I am doing. While in the class I am learning how to use tools better and learn different ways to make myself safer doing them.

As for the bus, the reason I know how to use them is that NYA gives each group a challenge to do and they are doing fun activities, making food for all the participants and group leaders, and a learning activity. My group activity is a fun one and we have to plan the transport, and the date within a budget. During this, I learnt how to use the bus system and do something fun with a group of people and also learned how to make a reservation.

The reason why I put serving food is because I and three other precipitants went to volunteer for something called Ottawa Mission. The Ottawa Mission is an organization that focuses on helping the homeless by giving them food, clothes and other such things. When we were there I and one other participant were serving food, also one of the leaders was helping us, her name was Hayley. While we were doing this the other two were helping put the butter in some little containers for more ease of use. For me, it was quite a good experience since it showed me how to be more empathetic towards others.

Overall the experience that NYA has given me will last a lifetime and will help me throughout my life going forward. I can’t say that this program is the easiest but it is certainly one of the more helpful ones that the youth can go to. The reason why it is one of the more helpful ones is because this program gives you many opportunities to learn new skills. They also give you help with school, college and also making an resume. I learnt that NYA will try to help you with anything as long as it is within their ability.

Hi, my Name is Rick Aningaat and I am from Baker Lake, Nunavut.  I am placed in Quispamsis, Which is near Saint John Newbrunswick. From what I experienced is there’s trees everywhere you go, with an endless sight of ocean. There is also a river called the Kennabacasis river which there is beautiful mountains in the background along with sunsets. My favourite view of Saint John is the sunsets in KV (Kennabacasis Valley).

My work placement is at the Hammond River Nature camp and I work with kids every week with different activities each week. Every summer, the HRAA has a summer camp for the children of Saint John, along with the youth who is a Councillor in Training (volunteering to become a staff member of the HRAA) This camp has exciting activities such as Kayaking, Paddle Boarding, Fishing, and so much more!

The things I find difficult in the south is having to pack up lunches for work as back home we just head home on lunch break. What I also find different back home is the time zones, how dark it gets after dinner, and the speedometer (where here In Saint John they use KMH, where as back home we use MPH). Another thing I find different is that there are so many job opportunities in the south where as back home in Nunavut, there’s not much job opportunities.

My story to you is, I’ve never been to a carnival before in my life. And here in Saint John, the weekend we landed, was a carnival happening. My host family has taken their kids, my placement buddy and myself to the carnival, and the very first ride I went on, I fainted for a few seconds. Where as the second ride I went on, I also fainted but I also nearly puked which was not fun. Other than that, I had a blast at the carnival!!

Also Beginning of July, my host family drove us up to Federicton and we got to go to the arts and crafts museum. I found so many amazing arts and sculptures. Also my host family drove us up to Moncton to take us to the Zoo and it was also my first time to be at a Zoo. I really enjoyed those moments.

The things I’ll miss is my host family. They have been so generous with my placement buddy and I these 5 weeks of our experience. I really appreciate their help and I hope to see them again later on in the future. I’ll also miss my Coworkers. We all became family from strangers. I’ll miss saying good mornings and have a great day in the mornings and after work. I’ll forever cherish every single moment with them, I’ll definitely miss my coworkers who are like a family to me once I get sent back home.

I am really enjoying my time adventuring places in Canada. I have been trying to apply for the Northern youth Abroad Canadian program for 5 years and I have finally made it into the Canadian program. So things are possible if you keep trying. 

Hello Everyone, my name is Ts’ahlekea. I am sixteen years-old as of right now. I live in Fort Simpson, NWT. I am in the NYA Canadian Program. My buddy is Sarah Lee-Ci Gon. She is from Behchoko. We are placed in Ottawa. I have been enjoying Ottawa a lot. Like when I tried the bus; that’s something I never got to try before and now I have the hang of it; plus there is more varieties of food. It is nice and different kind of foods they provide in Ottawa.

We went to the Japanase Festival where I got to wear a Yukata and have my name written in Japanese. When the festival was ending my host Mom bought us a typical Japanese snack for us to eat and I bought an unsweetened Japanese green tea.

We went to the Parliament on Canada Day. I remember that day there were so much people. There I heard different kinds of music playing as I was walking. I got to see the snowbirds fly by and on top of us. When they announced the snowbirds, I thought they were talking about real birds.  We went to watch the fireworks.

Where I am volunteering is called Ottawa Health Service Network Inc. (OHSNI). They connect residents of Baffin Island, Nunavut to the health and wellness services they need in Ottawa. 

I went to the St. Laurent Shopping Centre and to the Rideau SC. I went to the Parliament, the museum, the pool and my work place.

The hard things I had to face was the get up early and keeping my room tidy.

Thank you for reading my blog.

My name is Madison Migwi-Mantla and I am spending my summer in Kentville, Nova Scotia. I came from a community called Behchoko and I live in Rae, about an hour’s drive away from Yellowknife. Behchoko’s population is almost 2000 now.

My host-parents are living in a duplex with my host mom’s family, and I am sharing a room with my placement buddy Anikan. My host family’s house is somewhat in the countryside. The neighborhood is surrounded by trees and fields. Me and my placement buddy have to get a ride from our host parents if we want to go somewhere as there’s no nearby buses we could take.

For my work placement I am working at Evergreen for Special Care. My co-workers were so nice to me while I was working there. My supervisor would introduce me to anyone that was in the area and would mention that I live in the Northwest Territories which was very nice of him to do.

During my first day Sheila, my co-worker, gave me a tour of the whole place and introduced me to her family member who lives at the residence. The best part of working there was meeting the residents who live there. They are all so sweet and kind. Most of the residents are polite and sometimes would compliment my outfits. Sometimes they would give me nicknames like “my darling” or “my dear.”

During our first days here, we went to see Inside Out 2 at the movies. At some point we went to Chester to have a spa day. It was the most relaxing place I’ve ever been to. When we went to Cape Breton for two days, we hiked at tourist spots in the rain, which kind of sucked but it had beautiful scenery and a great view of the ocean. It was my first time seeing the ocean. We went to Hall’s Harbour where I tried a lobster for the first time, and we gazed into the abyss of the ocean. I learned that lobster is not as expensive in Nova Scotia as it is in Yellowknife.

My host parent Marisa took us to Halifax for the weekend where we watched the Pride Parade. It was a cool experience to see everyone being supportive. When we made plans, we had to plan out our schedule and stick to it. I have had to wake up early and get to our destination on time, such as work and timed out activities. It was hard to adjust to the time difference for the first few days.

My placement buddy Anikan respects my privacy and is nice. My host parents are nice too. Ryan talks to me which I appreciate. Thanks to Northern Youth Abroad for this experience, and my mentor for his help to get here. Thank you to my host family for hosting me during my summer placement, and to my buddy. Thank you to the NYA staff for offering this program. I would definitely recommend NYA to other teens in the North!

Hi my name is Enosi Nashalik I’m 17 years old and I’m from Pangnirtung NU , and this is my first week in the south and it’s hot but so far I’ve been loving this place.

Today I got the learn a little bit about CPR things like if someone were to have a stroke and what to do or if someone was choking or in a cardiac arrest all those kinds of things helped me know what it actually feels if that were to happen in real life.

Back home where I live the temperature doesn’t get as hot like in Ottawa. I had to adjust to weather and the humidity. If was back it would only be like 7° or 10°, but here in Ottawa it goes up to 20° to 30° so it is very hot for me the first few days here, but I think I’ve adjusted to the heat. Also the day lights were different. There is 24/7 day light in the north where I live, and it felt weird being in the dark in the summer down south.

We had swimming lessons called “swim to survive”. It was my first time swimming and I think it went well. Today me and my group came close finishing our dog house, I’m really proud of my getting close to finishing the dog house.

A couple days ago we went to a obstacle course in 20° weather it was good to take a shower after the obstacle course. Today  I’m going to see my sister for the first time in months maybe or even a year and that’s pretty exciting for me, and to her as well even though I don’t talk to her much I hope she misses me.

I had lots to see at the Bayshore mall, and the other day we went to the museum with my group. It had some amazing art and insects, and I held a stick bug but just for a bit.

Before I was going to Ottawa I met Jayko. At first I didn’t know him that well, but it was really nice of his dad to invite me to go have supper before we had to leave back in Iqaluit.

As the days went on here at the college residence and the trips we went on together, I’ve got to know him better and now he is a great friend of mine. I’ve made some new friends since I went here for NYA. Terrence is really good at construction in my group in trades class, he is really good at measuring. All the instructors are also really nice people.

Hi my name is Aliyah Komak, I’m from Cambridge Bay Nunavut. This is my first time being this far away from home for a long period of time. I’m loving it here so much. I have had the opportunities  to learn about construction, swimming to survive and many more. I have made so much friends here, I learnt how to get out my comfort zone and letting my shyness hold me back was tough at first, but it opened in a whole new world of opportunities. Whether it was engaging with trying new activities, or simply striking up conversations with people I didn’t know, every moment pushed me to grow and learn. It’s incredible how breaking out of that shell can lead to unforgettable experiences and personal growth.

So, let me tell you about how I met this fun-loving, pretty friend who got me out of my comfort zone. It all started at a local event where we both happened to be. We just clicked instantly! Her vibrant personality and infectious laughter made it so easy to connect. In less than a week, we were hanging out almost every day, sharing stories, and creating new memories. She had this incredible way of encouraging me to try new things and step out of my comfort zone. Whether it was attending social gatherings, trying out new hobbies, she showed me the joy of embracing new experiences. It’s amazing how quickly we became close, and now I can’t imagine not having her in my life.

Let me share my experience with learning how to build in construction, figuring out how to use busses, and dealing with the heat all at once. It was a mix of excitement and nerves. The smell of sawdust and the sound of the tools coming to life in the shop created creativity and craftsmanship. As for the navigation busses, it was a whole new world for me. Understanding schedules and stops was a bit overwhelming at first, but with practice it became second nature. The heat can be so hot at times but I’m glad I chosen to come here.

Embracing the unknown, taking risk, and being open to new adventures. Trust me, it’s all worth it! 

Hi, my name is Karla Qavavau and this is my second year with Northern Youth Abroad! I’m from Taloyoak, Nunavut and I’m was so excited to come back to ottawa for the second time.

I love this program, but I am so not used to constantly being on the move and practicing adulthood. On the brightest side, it helps you a lot with getting around campus and the city.

The program teaches you to budget, how to use the bus, your needs before starting college, and how to get around Algonquin College. I love staying at Algonquin, it’s nice and convenient, open 24/7 in case your door can’t open, friendly and helpful staff.

My most favorite part about this trip so far was when we went to the Marked Adventure park for an obstacle course, and the free time because I went to spend it at Hot Topic.

The most challenging part is always being on the move and trying to process what’s going on all at once. You will eventually get a hang of always being busy, cause obviously that’s what it’ll look like in reality.

I’m so happy NYA gives you this opportunity to face and practice adulthood and teach you how to be on your own away from your friends and family.

I’ve had a couple lows from missing home, but it didn’t stop me from trying my best to show up everyday, so I just kept trying. For those that are graduating, or just graduated, I really recommend taking this program to help you prepare for university or college and experience what that life is like. It’s very helpful and something to keep in mind before attending real university or college.

I love it here in ottawa, I wouldn’t leave, but I have to. But I’ll leave forever thankful for NYA and their staff. I look forward to my future after experiencing both NYA Canadian and NEXT program.

Hello, my name is Haileigh-Ann, and I am 17 years old. I am from a small community in the Northwest Territories called Tsiigehtchic. I and 14 other participants were selected for the Northern Youth Abroad Next summer program in Ottawa. This program is meant to give youth from the north an opportunity to experience life down south. In the program, you are meant to volunteer at different places and gain work experience through trades classes. You are also assigned different tasks as a group, like presenting our local communities and culture to places down south. The reason I am here is to get a better understanding of how the collage/university life would be. I’m also trying to get my grade 12 credits, so I can graduate high school in 2025 (woohoo!)

At first, I was really scared to travel away from home, and had the urge to cancel a few times. However, I reminded myself over and over again that I was more excited than nervous, and went through with my plan. I’m really glad that I didn’t cancel, because so far my experience has been a blast! I love hanging out with my group, and contributing to the group activities/assignments. My favourite trip so far was the swim to survive challenge. We had to do basic swimming lessons, and if we completed everything, we were given a certificate (I haven’t received mine yet, but that’s okay). 

On July 15th, we volunteered at a local garlic farm and helped the coordinator, Mel Jones, harvest a whole row of garlic. Personally, I thought the garlic looked very similar to onions, and even mistook it as an onion a few times! The farm donates all of their money to support OCAPDD, and it made me feel good knowing that I was volunteering to help them out. However, the experience would have been extra amazing if there wasn’t a heatwave… 

Something I’ve learned about the city so far is the humidity! I can walk out of the residence with my freshly styled hair and come back into the building with fuzzy, straight, greasy hair! 

I miss a few things from home, specially my cute little dog named Nico, and my comfy cozy bed. We have to wake up by 8:45 and walk to our trades class, but personally I’m not very upset about it. I actually feel excited to wake up each morning and experience something new! 

Hey I’m Kylar and I’m in Powell river BC, I got here on the 21^st of June and I’m having fun where I am, the scenery looks amazing and wonderful! I honestly expected less greenery here, but I was surprised that Powell river is basically a secluded place, but still this place is amazing.

What I’ll be doing while I’m here is volunteer work experience and my summer assignments, where I’ll get my work experience is the BC SPCA which is a animal shelter, and for my summer assignments I’ll be doing that during my whole stay here, which will give me my high school credits.

So far, I went to a concert the first or second day while I was here. The concert was amazing! There were so many people there, and the music was cool. And there many different art/craft venders, as well food venders, and I have also been to a bunch more community events, and my favorite one is Canada day!

I have learned that there are more stores here than where I’m from, and more schools as well, and that kids in schools have more things to do in the summer when school is out. Also they have a farmers market and it’s cool!

Some things are different in the south than in my community. There are a lot more fences here than where I’m from, and I find that quite weird. Also there are more job opportunities and places to work – back in my community we only have few places to work.

A funny story that I have is that me and my friend always spend a butt load of money at anything we’re at, no matter what it is, we always spend some money before we leave. And at dinner time we always get into some kind of fight, but we still get along.

And in all honestly, this has been the most amazing trip I have ever been on, I don’t leave my home all that much, but to be this down south is amazing! And I’m having the time of my life down here! But I also can’t wait to go back home, while Powell river is amazing, I miss my home and 24 hours of sunlight.