Robert and James playing with their host family

My experience so far as a participant in the Northern Youth Abroad Canadian program has been pretty good. I have really enjoyed my work placement at the Kawartha Settlers Village. At my work placement we do a lot of fun activities. We teach people about how the Settlers Village used to be back many years ago. We also run activities for children, likes painting and playing different games.

My host parents are Beth and Scott. They have 2 children.  They have taken James, my placement buddy, and I to a comedy show, to the theatre and out to go shopping. We have also done some painting and spent time playing with Beth and Scott’s kids. We have had a lot of fun together.

I have found a lot of differences between the south and back home. The weather is much warmer here. There are also a lot more people here. Especially in the stores, which are much bigger than those back home.

We have been having a lot of fun and made many new friends!

Sean Michael, right, with placement buddy Logan

My experience so far as a participant with NYA has been great. My placement buddy, Logan, and I have had a great time. I’ve had the chance to do lots of things that I’ve always wanted to do. My host parents are Cheryl and Brandon. They are very kind and generous. My host family is planning to bring Logan and I to Niagara Falls, the zoo, and maybe to the USA. My work placement is at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Their mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope. I was nervous my first day because it was my first ever job but it has turned out to be a great job, with very kind co-workers. There is always something to do there. My main duties are unloading the trucks and handling all of the donations. I don’t really miss home and my parents too much; it’s similar to when I lived in Pangnirtung without my family for 8 months. Logan and I stay busy with work. We also go swimming together. We’ve also become comfortable riding the bus, something I hadn’t done before coming here. The biggest difference I have found about life down south is the heat. It is very hot here most of the time.

I really enjoy being here!

Allie, right, with placement buddy Devin

Well my experience thus far is great. The people I’ve met are nice and so is my placement buddy Devon. He’s more talkative than I am – we get along great! My host family is great. Melissa is a nice woman who I have learned a lot from. She is a strong woman who works and she still manages to raise her two wonderful kids. I have learnt a lot from her, especially time management and how to being busy can be rewarding. Corey is also a great person, he works a lot too. I’ve learnt a lot about fishing and renovating a house from him. I love my host family, I’m learning so much from them everyday.

I’ve learnt a lot about the south as well. The weather is very hot here, things are much less expensive, and the people are hard-working. I’ve also noticed some cultural differences, such as, they don’t eat on the floor like we do back home and they don’t usually go to church. I’ve enjoyed experiencing the different culture. Some activities we’ve done so far are go to a baseball game, bake, and learn new things. What I did for the first time is water and feed chickens. My time in the south is great! I am having a blast and I am loving it!

Ethan participating in swimming lessons at Orientation

Well first off, my host family is great! The kids are fun, their house is amazing and they have a lot of cats, which I find pretty cool. Everyone talks about their day, how it was, and what they did. We are getting along great. My work placement is amazing! I work with kids and we do activities like: draw, arts and crafts, colouring, and decorating different items. We have also went on a few day trips so far. Most days, near the end of the day, we play various sports or activities outside. Or if it’s raining we will stay inside and play boardgames – I like playing connect four. So far I’ve went to the mall, walked around there, and bought a few things. I’ve also been to the Cineplex to watch the movie “The Gallows”. It was scary, that’s all I’ll say about it.

Ethan, right, with placement buddy Raymond

So far I love it here in Cole Harbour. We’ve had the chance to do some really cool activities. I went on a trip with work to the beach, and to the Biosphere. There we got to see lobsters – blue, orange, and a 15 pound lobster, crabs, a star fish, sea urchins, sea cucumber, and also learned a few cool facts about fish, great white sharks, and leather back tortoises. All to say, everything in my placement is going great. I love my work placement, love my host family, and my placement buddy is awesome. I’d like to thank everyone on the NYA staff, for my work placements, host family, and my placement buddy!

Saveah, left, and placement buddy Lilly

I was placed in Saint John, New Brunswick with my placement buddy Lilly Parr. The city and surrounding area has 16 shopping centres and malls. The weather goes up to 30 degrees. Steve and Cheryl have invited Lilly and I to stay at their house for the summer. They have a daughter and son, 2 cats and 1 dog. Debbie (Cheryl’s sister) invited us over to her house to go swimming and roast marshmallows the second weekend we were here. My volunteer placement is at the Carleton Community Centre where I work with a group of 30 kids. Alycia and Delaina, my co- workers, once took me out for an evening of sightseeing. I have plans with Alycia to go out for dinner and to Saint John Idol, which takes place at the board walk. We take the kids to the beach often, and on the 12th of August they will go to Magic Mountain, a water park which is one hour away. Sometimes I get homesick but it only lasts for around 45 minutes maximum. I like what I am doing this summer because I get to gain work experience and learn more about working with kids. Completing this program will earn me 9 credits for school.

I was placed in Hamilton, Ontario. Hamilton has two malls, Jackson Square and Lime Ridge. Bob and Teresa (my host parents) have volunteered to keep Katey Beth and I for the summer. They’re both so nice. They have a daughter, Amy, who has a son of her own named Conor. He’s an awesome kid! He is very talkative and loves to play games. It’s fun to have him around because he’s a non-stop talker :). They have a puppy, he’s calm and very cute. They also have another student staying with them, she’s from Spain and her name is Marina. She’s here for college to learn English. Katey & I are teaching her Inuktitut and she is learning quickly. She is teaching us Spanish but it’s hard to speak with their accent.

On Friday, my supervisor Lorri Fox invited me to go to Wonderland with her and other staff and students. At first I didn’t get a chance to do any rides, but then at lunch one of the students, Danielle, asked me if I wanted to hangout with her and her friends in the afternoon. Danielle was so nice to invite me to spend the afternoon with her, she’s awesome! Her and I went on several rides, our favourite was called the Sledge Hammer, which we went on 4 or 5 times in a row! 🙂

Sunday, Bob took Katey, Marina and I to the forest, it was amazing and beautiful – however the bugs were gross. Marina’s teacher came to the house to meet the family. Bob and Teresa asked her if Katey and I could accompany them to Niagara and to see a baseball game. She said yes! 🙂 It was so nice of her to let us go along with them. It’s so great to have all these people who are helping us, I would like to thank them so much! 🙂

Katey Beth and Sally at Orientation

My summer placement is in Hamilton, Ontario. I volunteer at the Hamilton Art Gallery where I work with kids, teaching and aiding them do all different kinds of art. It’s a lot of fun working with kids. My buddy is Sally Paungrat, she’s from Baker Lake and works at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre. She is also working with kids. We sometimes go shopping together. My host family are Teresa and Bob, they have children of their own, a grandchild, and a dog. There is also a girl from Spain who lives with us, her name is Marina. Sometimes she teaches Sally and I to speak Spanish, it’s kind of hard. I am enjoying it here in Hamilton, it’s a wonderful city. On Thursday Sally, Marina and I are going to Niagara Falls. On Sunday, we are going to watch a baseball game, we are all very excited. My host parent’s grandson is a very outgoing person. He’s very talkative and funny, he make us laugh all the time. We also play video games with him. Sally and I have also taught our host family some Inuit games. Maria loves to leg wrestle.

I have found a lot of things about life down south different than back home. Notably, the lower price of food, the bugs, and the weather – you only need to wear t-shirts, tank tops, shorts or flip flops. I like the weather here in Hamilton as it is nice but not too hot. In our free time Sally and I will sometimes go to the park and play soccer or tag.  Last weekend Bob, Marina, Sally and I went for a walk in the forest and saw a wild turkey. It was amazing, as it was my first time ever seeing a turkey. I have also made a friend from India who works at the Art Gallery with me. Her name is Srinidhi and she is a very nice person.

I am so glad that I am in this program!

My experience so far living in Kingston, Ontario as a participant with Northern Youth Abroad has been wonderful. My host parents (Jason and Sherri Mckane) are such amazing people, and their beautiful daughter (Morgan). I’m glad they are my host parents for the summer, we never have a dull moment. No words could explain what a great choice I made by applying for Northern Youth Abroad. So far I have been to a Taylor Swift concert, explored Kingston, and ate amazing food. We have upcoming plans to go to Toronto, paint balling, going to a drive-in theatre and many other exciting plans before returning to Ottawa for re-orientation. My work placement is at Queen’s University. I volunteer as a summer camp counselor. I work with kid’s aged 4-13, honestly, I thought it would be hard but surprisingly they are amazing to work with. I like the people I work with. They have good manners and are curious of where I am from. My supervisor Lisa Eyles is a wonderful human being. She was so thrilled at the fact I was working with her and everyone else in the summer camp, which I thought was amazing because I can tell you, being dropped off at work on the first day was like being dropped off at a new school. I like Kingston, Ontario and my work placement. I continue to have many opportunities to explore new places. I highly suggest to those that are interested to apply, go for it! You will love the experience, and the amazing staff at Northern Youth Abroad.

Mikaela, left, and placement buddy Justina

My experience so far as a participant in the Northern Youth Abroad program has been pretty phenomenal, and I’ve only been at my placement for just over a week. I got to do things I wouldn’t even thought of doing. For example, I went to a Taylor Swift concert Monday night (July 6^th) at the Canadian Tire Centre with Vance Joy as the opening act. I’m thankful my host mom Sherri has good connections. It was a fabulous time and was a very memorable experience, as it was my very first concert. We also have plans for one of the upcoming weekends to make a day trip to Toronto to go see the CN tower, the aquarium, and the zoo. My work placement is pretty neat, I already gained experience with tools and appliances I had no previous knowledge about. I thought I wasn’t going to like it because it wasn’t something at first I thought I would be interested in, but my advice to everyone is ALWAYS try before judging. Now it isn’t so bad – I love the people I work with, so nice and funny! My main duty is working the cash. I’ve never really had experience as a cashier before and I’ve got to say I’m pretty beast at it now:) hahah. I’m going to make the rest of my stay a grand time that I’ll never forget. I love travelling and learning new things every day. I do miss home and my parents but it will always be there. I feel so comfortable where I am in life and there’s many more adventures to come.