Hey I’m Felicia Elanik and my home community is Inuvik, Northwest Territories. I have been staying on Vancouver Island in Campbell River, BC. This place is so different then my home community there it is so humid here and the mountains and valleys are so beautiful with the ocean. The tress are huge! The water is so blue and teal. There are so many hills that I have to walk up and down to get to work. My workplace is with Laichwaltach Family Life Society. I work in Little Fry daycare, and I absolutely love it here. My coworkers are so nice and friendly. The kids of how I will miss the kids so much, they are so kind hearted and cute!

On this trip I didn’t spent one whole weekend in Campbell River yet. My host mom Debbie is just the best and always bringing us places. The first weekend we went to Port Alberni, and then I got to head to Nanaimo to spend time with a friend. That following weekend we went Long beach in Tofino and then go Toquart bay to spend the night with May Debbie’s sister. Last weekend we went to Victoria which was a beautiful drive. Our last weekend we are gunna stay local and visit the site seeing places here.

This place is so different from home. There are underground places. The plumbing is underground also. We don’t run out of hot water or water in general. So I can take a shower for a hot and the water will still be hot! And the prices are so different. When I first went shopping I was so amazing on how much I got for so little, and there is so many selections. It can take forever to get to the store with all the traffic and the width of the city. I’m glad I’m placed in a smaller community then a huge city. BIG plus is that there is barely any bugs which is amazing! I’m not getting eaten up by misquotes. So when we are at a restaurant Layla orders from the kids menu. So the funniest moment was when we were at a bbq and Layla said “I don’t like be called a child.” Debbie’s stepped in and said “what do you order from?” And she spit sprayed her tea all over we sure had a good laugh.

My name is Marisa Idlout, I’m from Pond Inlet. I’m one of the participants rom NYA NEXT. All the hard work these past few years to take part in the program, is so worth it. To experience so much in just a few weeks, especially on a college campus is just so rewarding. I’m learning so much, I feel so prepared to go to college.

Some of the important things I’m learning so far is time management, getting things done on time, working in a group, communicating in a group, and budgeting. Orientation went by so quickly, with ice breakers, sessions, and games. We have so many things going on just this past week, and just spending time with the group is so amazing, getting to know each other and just living together, I’m so grateful I got a chance to go on this program.

On Monday July 10 we had a really helpful Campus tour of Algonquin College, it was great to know how to navigate on campus and I really loved the tour. I haven’t had a PLP (personal learning project) or had volunteered at The Mission yet, but I am so excited to do

both. These past Monday’s we had culinary classes at 4pm-6pm and so far, I love it, I think it’s fun to learn little important details not everyone probably knows in baking or cooking, even though we had done only two classes.

Im getting used to having a routine, busy schedule, living on campus, and adjusting on getting to classes on time, as well as going places through public transport. Our entire group has construction class in mornings on Tuesdays to Fridays, I’m so proud of what I made in class so far.

I think our NYA NEXT group is doing well and getting along great, making friends and memories are the best part. On Friday, July 14, we went to the fitness gym in the afternoon on Campus, I got to learn some things about working out with or without equipment. During that afternoon we also got to go learn how to swim/ get evaluated on how to swim. Even though I didn’t pass the swimming evaluation I thought it was fun just to learn.

We also got to go downtown to Parliament, Byword, and Rideau to watch the light-show at 9-10pm and we got time to go shopping and wander around with a buddy which I thought was really fun. On Saturday, we had volunteered at HOPE festival, to take down nets and once we were mostly done a lot of us had free time, we had a chance to go swimming in the lake, watch an artist perform, and play volleyball along with other volunteers.

On Sunday we had a cultural activity for both Nunavut and NWT, I love that we get to learn each other’s cultures with activities within the group. Living on Campus is really fun in general and even though the bus rides or trips are tiring. I’m so glad I get to learn what it is like living down south especially in Ottawa. I’m so grateful for NYA staff!

My name is Eshyla Ekendia, and I am from Behchoko NT. I was placed in Milton, Ontario. My first impression about Milton, is that I thought this town was small but when I got here, I saw a lot of construction of buildings, houses, and some parks around areas I’ve been to so far. The population here is 131,000 people. when we drive out of Milton, there will be less houses and less construction. And outside of Milton, there will be more farms, flowers, trees, gardening, veggies, cows, and horses. 

During my three weeks here, in Milton, with my host family. I’m starting to get use to some places I’ve been passing by through. My work placement is an outdoor operation, where I get to do outdoor, hand ons work experience. My part as a gardening volunteer. I’m learning what weeds that needs to be pulled out of gardens. We maintain plants for those who admires flowers. Knowing that people around town seeing us work, will say we’re doing a great job of taking care of the plants. During my work placement, I’ve been doing gardening for the past three weeks and I’m starting to love it. But not the part where I get tan and around my wrist that shows my watch tan line. I noticed my wrist when I didn’t bother using my watch for awhile. 

My highlight is when we went to the stadium in Toronto, a game of baseball. The team is named Blue Jays, and watching the Blue Jays game was awesome. Seeing those kind games in action is quite new to me. So, I did my best to enjoy the game, and to Blue Jays losing against Red Sox. 

I’ve tried new things, and ate new things. First, I played beach volleyball for the first time. Showing my feet, having connections between my feet to the sand is a weird and funny feeling. That’s something I tried for the first time. Secondly, I tried spicy Indian food. That was yummy and not that spicy but it that good.

Hello everyone,

My name is Lynn Football, I am from Whati, one of the four Tlicho communities in the Northwest Territories. I have completed the Canadian program back in 2019, so this is my 2nd in a long time in 4-5 years. I wanted to do the Next program to experience the college life living on campus, take the bus, and explore.

If I can remember, we went to the mall on our 2nd day here and ate over at the food court, went shopping and walk around for 2 hours. Went to the Canadian museum of nature, went swimming for safety lessons, the recreation centre next door, it has rock climbing, bowling and rec gym to play sports, definitely going for workouts and walking.

A few days ago, we went to the Parliament hill, where we walked around for food and to go shopping, then around 9:30-10pm, we all walked together to the front of the buildings and saw the light show, it was awesome!

We also had this cultural day, where Nunavut showed their unique square dances, and we showed our drum dances as well, pretty cool to show each other our cultures.

So far, I met so many people, they are so funny in their unique ways, I also like their personalities and just being themselves, I would really miss them when we do leave after re-O 🫶

– Yours truly, Lynn Football

Hello My name Koda Amos I’m currently living in Sydney for the NYA Canadian Program. Sydney is a fantastic town, it was my first time seeing an ocean It feels big but yet small I hope you understand. I am currently working at the Salish Sea Centre, the place was small so I was worried that I didn’t get to do much but I absolutely wrong I got to do so much like I got to play and feed the octopus on the first day 😀  It was so much fun being at an aquarium and I got to learn so much, like when a sea star is melting it’s a bacterial disease that is fatal, that turns them into mush.

This is a example of that disease, scary!

We got to go to the light trap. It’s a research about how many Dungeness crabs babies to predict how many they are. There are two species in care one is a crab that has no arms!! Poor guy 🙁

And the other is a fish that has a eye infection, he’s been in quarantine. His name is Leon 🙂

And I got to go into so many different jobs in the Salish Sea Centre, I got to be an Aquarius for the first and second week, the third week I was working in retail it reminded me of my job back at home.

Being a at retail was fun,it felt refreshing and was kind of happy greeting people, I got to do some goofy stuff like putting a stingray plush on my head

It was lotta fun 😀

I am trying to learn the guitar and piano when I got here, surprisingly the host family provided me guitar but we’re still working on the piano part.

Also I was interviewing a person here, she is a Medical Laboratory Technologist, so basically they test out tissue samples and she told me something bizarre, you know an organ called a spleen right? well it’s supposed to be a size of your fist. but she got sent a spleen that was the size of a baby.

Things here is really different than up north, the temperature here is mid doesn’t get too hot or cold, very different from where I am from.

Hi, my name is Kathy Sharky. I am from Kinngait Nunavut, also known as Cape Dorset. I am 21 years old. I was offered to go to NYA for the last 2 or 3 years but I couldn’t go because of the pandemic, and I had to finish the programs I was working on back home but 2023 I got to go to NYA and it has been amazing! 

I had to fundraise $1,500 so I did a dance night for youth at Sikusiilaq Community Hall. I also did grand in your hand and sold hockey pool. When we got to Iqaluit I met a couple people who were also attending NYA, and some of. Them were their first time in Iqaluit so I helped them with which way to go and when to check in.  We enjoyed our time there, we went swimming and did a little tour.  

I have travelled to many places in the past few years and its fun staying in Ottawa for the last couple weeks, I had only passed by 3 times before. I still have to get used to the weather in summer here down south. I have met amazing NYA Staff. DJ, Mahasi, Andrea, Patti, James, Kira, Alissa, Karen and Bec and so many more.  

I speak Inuktitut and it is my first language and I was teaching Andrea how to say yes or no with your eyebrows and nose. On the weekend we went shopping to Bayshore Mall and I finally got what I always wanted to get (helix piecing). A couple of NYA Participants and I with Andrea went to the Mission in Ottawa to go volunteer. The other Participants were cooking and serving food, and me and Andrea were getting rid of bad potatoes, lettuce, and onions – I did my best to not be scared of the bugs. Me and Andrea got along.  

Next, we went to the theatres to watch Insidious the Red Door and it was fun! We did a cooking class and we made what I was craving for! I’m learning what I always hope to learn outside of my hometown.  

Construction is the main thing I love to do, and I’ve learned a lot about blades and saws and cutting, measuring wood and much more.  

I’m proud of myself for attending NYA and learning what I need to learn to be prepared for college. All thanks to my Mentor, my boss for helping me so much with fundraising and assignments.  

– Kathy Sharky  

Hi, I am Christa from Qikiqtarjuaq Nu, and I am placed in Medicine Hat Alberta. So far, I’m enjoying the city life. I really love working at the YMCA. Me and my buddy Alia are getting along so well along with my host parents.

Our second week of being in Medicine Hat, my host parents took us to Drumheller to see the royal Tyrrell Museum and on our way there we stopped by some hoodoo trails and to some mines which is really amazing! After that we stayed in the town for a bit and had some amazing food. And we are planning to go to Banff and Calgary for a visit which I’m so excited about and it’s also in my bucket list to go there!

This is my beautiful friend Harley she been my friend since I came to Medicine Hat. She let me do fun things like go for walks and go to the park and go for a ride with loud music. We are planning to go to the beach sometime this weekend and go for a picnic. Yesterday we went to go play bowling and it was so fun we are together almost everyday and do dumb fun things!

I love my work placement because I get to be with kids, and we do fun stuff together we play lots of games together. The kids are so fun and cute I love my work even when it’s hard at same time hehe!

-Christa!

My name is Karla Qavavau, and I am from Taloyoak, Nunavut. I am currently placed in Halifax working at Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank. We do all kinds of work, it’s a food and furniture bank. We register new clients, book appointments for clients to pick up food boxes, be at the furniture bank cleaning beds with a steam cleaner, organize, put Ikea together, and do lots of Costco.

So far on my trip, I’ve been to PEI with my host family. My host buddy and I experienced amusement park rides such as a roller-coaster. There has been lots to see in PEI and I am very happy that we have gone there and that was for Canada day weekend. The fireworks were huge and very bright.

The same day we got back to Halifax, we went to the The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. It is unique among other Tattoos in the world in that it is more theatrical in nature with a mixture of both military and civilian performers. It was really amazing to experience that. They were very amusing and it was relaxing enough to watch for me to almost fall asleep haha.

The next weekend, we went to Cape Breton and hiked the Skyline trail on July 8. We prepared our lunches and got ready to drive over. After we reached the top, we picked a bench and ate lunch enjoying the most beautiful Atlantic Ocean scenery.
I enjoy my time in Halifax and enjoy my work placement because I made a new friend and she helps me get through the day faster. The work I do or help out with isn’t so bad. I take the bus to work, I basically finally know my way to work after getting off in the morning.

For me, this is all a very big learning experience. I’ve gotten lost a whole bunch of times and finally almost know my way around the city. I’ve gotten used to riding the bus to my placement.

Other than getting lost, life in Halifax has been a lot of fun. My host family are the most fun and adventurous and that’s my highlight about them. They’re very supportive and helpful and that is what I like most about Michelle and Marion. I am very excited for grandma Marion to take care of us for our last 10 days here in Halifax. Although I am sad that we won’t spend our last weeks with Michelle as she leaves for a union convention in BC.

I, Ernie Lyall located in Windsor ON with my 4 friends. I work at the Canadian tire garage while working on cars, yet I have not worked on a sports car but a few came by. The city I am in is right across Detroit USA, I am enjoying my stay here.

I have seen a lot of nice places and people I’ve made a handful of friends here and they are great to hangout with. I am enjoying my stay here from seeing all them sports and muscle cars, the best cars Ive seen was a Lamborghini Huracan and Aventador most of all I seen a Toyota Supra!! I also rode in my friends Mercedes Benz and it was so awesome the speed on the Benz is amazing.

I seen the fireworks from riverside while Detroit was doing them on a boat while in the river the show lasted over half an hour. My experience here in Windsor is going great the city is fun and the places to go to like bowling, gym and boxing. I have tried bowling with my 2 friends, me and my placement buddy went boxing and it was fire. I am going to miss this city from seeing all the nice cars, I am going to Niagara Falls before I head home.

I like my placement job it is a lot of fun working on cars and learning new experiences with mechanical work, the people I work with are fun and great they are very nice people and staff.

NYA is a great experience and I encourage youth to apply and take it.

-Ernie