My name is Ava Qaunaq, I’m currently 16 years old, and I’m from Grise Fiord, Nunavut.

This is my first time on the Northern Youth Abroad program, and I’m really enjoying it at my placement. I was placed in Milton, Ontario, with a population of at least 142,000 as of 2022. I’ve worked with a couple of wonderful people, but met even more.

My placement buddy’s name is Catherine Pudlat, and she’s from Kinngait, Nunavut. Lisa and Michael are our host parents; they’re so kind and very welcoming. They have two sons and a cool old dog named Roo, but I nicknamed her rhubarb. We spend a lot of days in their backyard pool, and that’s where I found out I could swim. On our first weekend, we went to the Milton Mall, did a small amount of shopping, made rhubarb crisp and went for an evening swim.

My work placement is very flexible with where I work, so I could either be at the Milton Leisure Centre, Sports Centre, Sherwood Community Centre, or rarely the First Ontario Arts Centre. At my work placement, I usually handle storage inventory, filing, and occasionally cleaning or organizing. Next week, however, I’ll be working with camps. The first week at work went really well, actually, but I couldn’t stand the heat. Now that it’s been two and a half weeks, I feel like I’m not as bothered anymore.

Three things that I’ve learned while working here is 1st Being uncomfortable while doing something new is a great opportunity for you to learn and see where it’ll take you. 2nd keeping a workplace/day camps safer and efficient, and lastly, taking your time with others hearing their feedback and communicating really builds your confidence. My supervisor, Crystal, is really, really kind and a cool person to be around. If we were to go into any Milton facility, she’d know pretty much everyone there.

My favourite thing we’ve done so far was going to Toronto and shopping at the Kensington Market. The stores, clothes and food are all so different there. We also went up the CN Tower, and it was Catherine’s first time up there, which made it more fun. Catherine and I get along really well, and I’m very grateful that we do. Almost every night we’re up just about the time everyone’s half asleep, and we’d just laugh so much, it’s so funny. We still haven’t done all the activities we wanted, but the following weeks will be exciting. We plan to visit Canada’s Wonderland, Hot Topic, and an ear piercing place. Personally, I’m really excited about Garage.

So far, I haven’t been severely homesick; I’ve mainly missed my family, friends, hunting and driving. During my stay here, I’ve learned a lot about down south life, camp leadership, administration, and what it takes to be the best version of yourself while doing the right things at work.

And now, I want to dedicate this part of my blog to express how thankful I am to have participated in this program. The NYA team is so supportive and patient, and I’m so happy i got to know the participants, and make new friends.

Huge thanks to my family, friends and my mentor Vivian, for supporting and helping me through this NYA process. I’d also like to give a big thank you to the Grise Fiord housing, the Co-op store, Grise Fiord HTA and people in the community who helped me during my fundraising for the NYA trip. All of your support is deeply appreciated, and it truly made me feel closer to the community. I hope you’ve enjoyed & thank you for taking the time to read my blog! 🙂 Bye guys!

Sincerely,

Ava Qaunaq.

Hello,

My name is Trisha Killiktee, and I am from Pond Inlet, Nunavut. Pond Inlet is on the northern tip of Baffin Island, and the population is around 1690.

I am placed in Sussex Corner, New Brunswick. It’s a small town, located near the Fundy Coast. I am so thankful to my host family for treating me like I’m part of the family; they are so welcoming and caring.

My placement buddy is Leanne Panika, she’s from Whale Cove, Nunavut. We get along so well that we started talking in unison!  She’s so helpful and supportive. Our second weekend here, we went camping in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. The beach was beautiful!! The sunset was my favourite because I felt like I was dreaming; it was so calming, with the sound of the waves. We met two other participants that are placed in Nova Scotia, and we had a bonfire night with them. I had a blast in PEI!!

The time flies! It feels like it was just yesterday that we did our orientation, but no, it’s been 4 weeks since I’ve been here in Sussex Corner! For the coming weekend, we are planning to go to Halifax, Nova Scotia and go to Peggy’s Cove, the boardwalk, and the Harbour Hopper.

I am here because I was selected by the Northern Youth Abroad Program, and I am so thankful that they gave me the opportunity to go for this program! The staff are very supportive, they help me so much! They make education feel so easy! I was initially shy and nervous when I first met the other participants, but I soon stepped out of my comfort zone and started playing games and working as a team with them.

THANK YOU NYA!

Hi my name is Cadence Arnatsiaq, I am from Igloolik, Nunavut. I am honoured to be in the Northern Youth Abroad (NYA) 2025 Canadian Program. I applied in October 2024 and was so excited to be selected for this year’s cohort.

This summer, I was placed in Halifax, Nova Scotia—a place I’ve always wanted to visit. Currently, I have three cats as pets: Gracie, Mango and Taro. Being in Halifax has been amazing. I’ve enjoyed exploring a new environment, meeting new people from different backgrounds, and learning more about life outside of Nunavut. I’m especially thankful to my mentor for supporting me. 

I’m volunteering at Dalhousie University with the SuperNOVA kids camp, where I learn from both instructors and the kids themselves. It’s inspiring, and I’m earning high school credits through the program. Taking the bus each day gives me time to listen to music and reflect.

I’m also grateful to share this experience with Rebecca Black from Gameti, Northwest Territories. We’ve gone on walks and recently started playing basketball together. Building friendships with other participants has been one of the best parts of this journey. 

So far, we’ve visited Peggy’s Cove, gone to a few BBQs, attended a powwow and gone on a road trip to PEI — my first road trip ever! I tried oysters and lobster for the first time and visited the Sandspit amusement park. We also visited Anne of Green Gables and went glow-in-the-dark mini golfing here in Halifax — another first time for me! When we went to a BBQ near a lake, we met up with a couple of other NYA participants, Mitchell and Joey, and an NYA alumnus. We went kayaking, a little boat trip where I caught my first Bass, and swimming — another first time for me, swimming in a lake. The warm weather took some getting used to at first, but over time, I’ve adjusted and actually come to enjoy it. This experience has been unforgettable. I’ve learned so much, stepped out of my comfort zone, and created memories I’ll never forget.  

Hello, my name is Jazzlynn Tetlichi, and I am from Inuvik, Northwest Territories. I had been waiting for this moment ever since I was accepted back in January. When I received the email, I was super nervous to open it, but I was filled with excitement and joy once I saw “Congratulations!”

I recently graduated on June 14th, 2025. The graduation week was really busy for me, as I had just completed my exams and was hopping on a plane the day after my graduation! I was stressed that week, but I got everything done. The day after my graduation, I was hesitant for an hour before leaving, but my family told me it was too late to back out; they were super happy that I had been given this amazing opportunity. I am genuinely happy that I didn’t back out, even though I probably cried six times before stepping onto the plane, haha. Plus, I knew I wouldn’t have any way.

The Canadian program focuses on volunteer work, tiny homework packages and gaining tons of experience and in return, everyone gets credits for all this! I also find it very cool that they will be covering our application fees for colleges and universities. I have two careers lined up for this lifetime, and NYA covering the application fees is so motivating and very helpful. Thank you, NYA. 🙂

I was encouraged by a close friend to apply. I applied for the Canadian program a day before the application date closed. I am really lucky to have been accepted.
My placement buddy and host family are super amazing, we have been so busy doing something new every day, which I absolutely love. My favourite activities we have done so far are Parc Omega, Kayaking, and glow-in-the-dark mini golf (pic above). We still have more activities on our checklist that we have not crossed out yet, so I am definitely looking forward to that! I strongly encourage those interested in this program to apply. I have been having so much fun, and I did not get homesick (yet?) because everyone makes it feel like home, and I have met lifelong friends. I feel so blessed and happy. NYA is such an amazing start to my life after high school. 

Northern Youth Abroad brings so many benefits to the youth, but most importantly, lifelong friends, family and happiness. The program helps you become the best version of yourself and overcome what you were hesitant about or negative about. Showing up and chasing your dream is tough some days, but in the end, it is 100% worth it, and that’s what Northern Youth Abroad taught me.

Blog Day 1:

Today was a tough day, although I finally had a decent amount of sleep. As soon as we got to the airport, I already felt physically tired, but the bus ride wasn’t so bad, though, because the bus driver was playing some good music. It was my first time flying on a regional aircraft today, which was pretty cool, and the flight wasn’t too long. Cadence and I did a pretty good job of keeping the group together. When we arrived in Halifax, our host mom picked all four of us up from the airport and brought Rebecca and Cadence to their host mom, Michelle. After that, we had a delicious supper at Eastside. After that, we were pretty much settled in. Ready for what the new day has to offer tomorrow.

Day 2:

Today was an awesome day. I want to start with my host buddy, Joey. We had has some challenges on the first day, but I’m glad it’s over now. We had a really good talk and we opened up to each other, which is really nice and I’m glad there’s no tension between us. Other than that, we started our day shopping at Costco, which was really cool for me because I had my very first Costco hot dog, and it was my first time there. After that, we did a little bit more shopping at Walmart. We also checked out the waterfront because that was actually the first thing we did today, and then we went shopping. The things we did at the oval were some little tours and some little tourist shopping. I got to see the Bluenose 2, the ship that’s on the dime, which was really cool. After being at the waterfront and shopping, we had supper with Michelle, Cadence and Rebecca. We had some delicious BBQ hot dogs and burgers. After that, we toured beautiful Peggy’s Cove. It was a very comforting sight to see because the bedrock and the endless ocean looked a lot like home. After that, all of us went back to Natalie’s for some dessert, lemon cake and chocolate cake, with some very nice conversations along the way. After that, everyone went home and settled in. This is the part where Joey and I got along very well. I want to say that Joey inspires me so much to become a strong person. Anyways, probably the best day 2 in the whole history of NYA day 2s. Because of how it started off and ended. Once again, I’m excited about what tomorrow holds.

Day 3:

Before supper today, I went for a walk to the convenience store alone, and it was nice. I managed my entire way back, which is cool for a Nunavut boy. After supper, Natalie, Joey, and I went to have dessert at Natalie’s parents’ house, and we had some good conversations at the dinner table. After that, we went home and pretty much settled in. It’s almost midnight as I write this, so I’ll get some rest. New day tomorrow.

Day 4:

Blogs are almost becoming my thing now. I’ve never written a blog before in my life. So today was a productive day. Natalie dropped us off at her workplace, and she showed us around a bit. After that, Joey and I managed to walk to our work placement. We made one wrong turn, but it wasn’t much of a hassle. It was a nice walk and we got a sense of direction and the area of the place. When we arrived at our destination, we waited for Melinda, our workplace supervisor. She’s very nice, just like all the people in Nova Scotia. Anyways, we started our job, I was sorting letters for the kids, and Joey did a real good job cutting over 200 pieces of paper. It was stressful for both of us, but in the end, we felt a sense of accomplishment. After our day at work, Natalie picked us up and we headed home for supper. Natalie cooked ground beef stir fry, which was delicious because it tasted a bit like home. After supper, Natalie brought her son to hockey. Joey and I chilled around for a bit and so I finally got to play video games. Then, we got to watch another episode of North of North. After some down time, I did the dishes then I went for a smoke and thought of my blog, and so here I am now I’m working on it. I can’t write anything else because I don’t know what will happen after this. I know I’m tired, so I’d better get ready for tomorrow. As always, a new day tomorrow.

Day 5:

Today’s a bit different than the rest of the days because it’s usually night when I write these, right now it’s earlier in the evening. Today was a good day overall. It was a slow workday for me, as I went to sleep very late. I was tired the whole day, but after work, we visited the oval. I finally got to hang out with friends from back home, Mack and Anikan, which was honestly unexpected and fun. I also finally got to be active, which felt good. I think I enjoyed the oval a little bit too much. After the oval, we went to McDonald’s. I enjoyed my meal, which was a Big Mac, fries, and chicken nuggets. After McDonald’s, we went for a walk back to the oval and settled in the driveway back home. When we got home, I was ready to write this, but I got distracted watching “North of North” and now I’m back here, finishing off my Day 5 blog. New day tomorrow.

Day 6:

Today feels different because I feel like I’m getting used to living down here. Third day on the job, and it still feels a bit slow at work. I hope I can pick things up tomorrow. Starting off with the morning, it was a very typical morning, except this time we took an Uber to work because Natalie’s car was dropped off at the mechanic. We didn’t need my phone this time because we can now rely entirely on memory. Typical day at work, I did the same thing as yesterday, which was inventory. At lunch break, Joey and I checked out the mall. I didn’t buy anything, I just wanted to hang out with Joey. After the lunch break, we did our usual thing. Natalie picked us up after work, and then we went home. Once we got home, we hung out for a while, then I went for a walk around the block. When I got back home, we intended to watch more of North of North, but the internet wasn’t cooperating, so we chilled a while longer. For dinner tonight, we had tacos. Anyways, I look forward to more good days ahead.

Day 7:

Another day, another blog. One week in today! I’m getting used to living in the south. Not much to say today, as it feels a lot like the rest of the other days. Went to work on something in the past couple of days, doing inventory. Today’s a bit different because I finally got to hang out with Elliot, we did a couple of laps around the oval, and that was right after work. After the oval, we all went home, including Natalie’s adoptive daughter, who’s originally from China. When we got home, we did the basics and watched “North of North.” I then went for another solo walk, I got home and thought of doing my blog, and now here I am.

Hello my name is Millie-Anna Aaruaq. I am from Baker Lake Nunavut, Baker Lakes population is just under 2,500 people. I am here in Windsor Ontario with a population of 422, 630 people, that is a lot of people but I am here because of the the Northern Youth Abroad program, I was lucky enough to get selected as an alternate last year and got a chance to go this year.

I was placed in Windsor Ontario for this summer and oh boy do I love it. Windsor is by the border to the US, so I got to see Detroit that is across the river. What I love most about Windsor is where my host parents live, they live near a golf course so when the sunset comes I just sit in the backyard and watch it. There are many places to see here in Windsor and I’m not done exploring the city.

My job placement is at the downtown Windsor Community collaborative (DWCC) and I love it! I work in the Good Hood kitchen for 3 hours then I work with the summer camp with kids for 4 hours. I love this placement because I am indoors and outdoors, my co-workers from both the kitchen and the camp are awesome, my favourite part of the job is working with the kids.

My placement buddies name is Edie and she is from Behchoko NT. Edie and I get along very well, we joke around a lot and tease each other. I realize when she not around that I get bored and miss her, We have some things in common.

My host parents are amazing!!! They would do anything for Edie and I. They have taken us to Niagara Falls the first weekend with them, I loved every moment there. They provide so many wonderful things for us and I love them so very much, it’s home away from home when I am with them.

This experience is beyond words! I am so grateful to be here, there are so many things that are available to me here in Windsor. I’ve been swimming, I’ve been to point Pelee which is the most southern part of Canada, I’ve been to many new restaurants, tried a lot of new foods and many more to explore while I’m here.

If you are looking for a life changing experience then I would highly recommend this program! NYA is all about what you can see and do in your life, I was so nervous to come and be away from home for this long but there are wonderful staff and great people to help you get through this. It may seem like a long time but trust me it’s not long enough for me, NYA helped me find the person I want to be in the future. NYA has helped me step out of my comfort zone and live my life without being nervous or scared about anything.

We have just finished our 2025 Canadian Program Orientation! 20 young people from across Nunavut and the NWT came together to get ready for their summer placements. We learned about what to expect from the summer placement, how to deal with homesickness and adjusting to new places, First Aid and Workplace Safety, culture, leadership, and much more!

The Participants have now travelled out to their Host Families in Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Manitoba, where they will volunteer and experience being in a new place.

Wish them luck! Check back in on the blog throughout the summer to hear more about their adventures.

Applications and recruitment materials are on their way to schools, hamlets, and recreation coordinators across the North! We will be opening applications to our 2025 programs on October 2nd.

On October 2nd we will open our online application and will start accepting applications by email and fax. Any youth living in Nunavut or the NWT who will be 15-20 years old on July 1, 2025 can apply. There will be one application for the NYA Canadian and NYA Next program, which will be due November 13th.