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

Life here in Ottawa is interesting because its different from where I am from. Life on campus just reminds me of school, but I have to get up and walk to where I am going to learn how I have to walk down to the construction class, it’s a challenge but I always manage to make it on time or a minute or two late.  

Living in residence is easy, as if I’m living back at home but a little less loud. I live in a small household with 7 people and its loud, I like it loud because I’m used to it. It feels like it’s too quiet but I’m slowly getting used to it.   

The volunteering was lovely because the head boss was super nice even the staff! The stuff we (me and four other people) had to help with cutting some vegetables or fruits, help wash the dishes, help serve the food to those in need. I really liked volunteering there because the boss was nice and everyone was friendly.  

I can say it’s weird being FAR away from home because the farthest I have ever been is to Edmonton and it wasn’t that bad. 

I’m happy I got into this program because I start school this September at  Mount Royal University and I’m leaving near the end of August to get into my dorm and to slowly start knowing my way around Calgary. It is going to be easier now because I know what to do if I need to go on the bus because of NYA.

I left my home community July 5th, me and another participant Mark travelled on our own down to Ottawa. It was an experience, we did well for our first time travelling alone. I got to meet the other participants the following Friday, and got to know them during orientation.

During orientation we did a handful of activities, my favourite was the communication activity. We got to do 3 different ones, they all represented a type of communication, such as telephone, texting, and in-person conversation. Out of the three, I enjoyed the telephone-like communication activity a little more. I paired up with a participant and she guided me around the room while I was blindfolded.

When I met my buddy I was surprised, her and I are very similar in ways. We have the same phone case, same laugh, same clothing style, and very similar personalities. NYA is very good at pairing buddy’s!

We also went to Bayshore mall for a couple hours the following weekend, while I was there I got a pedicure done and shopped for clothing & necessities. On our way there and back, we took a bus, which was my very first time on the bus. I’m having fun figuring out how to use public transit, the experience with the busses is great for when I’m back for college.

Staying on campus is fun, there are a lot of things to do and a lot of space to do assignments. The cool thing is, Algonquin College has nap pods on campus! If homework or assignments burn you out, you can find a quiet floating pod to nap.

We’re taking culinary classes every Monday while we are here, last class we made homemade nacho chips along with homemade salsa and guacamole. I am looking forward to learning new recipes to share with my family at home.

From Tuesdays to Fridays we have construction classes, right now we’re just finishing our stools. We also made picture frames for our group photo we’ll take at the end of the program. Next, we’ll start making dog houses.

I’m looking forward to watching the parliament light show this coming weekend, I’ve seen videos of the light show, but it’ll be even better to experience in person. Another activity I’m looking forward to is the beach trip, which is after our swim to survive activity. With swim to survive, we will see what level swimmers we are.

That is my summer so far, I’m so excited for the next couple weeks:)))

Hi, my name is Aranxa Tunguaq. I am from Baker Lake, Nunavut. I am participating in the Northern Youth Abroad Next. The program is about experiencing what is it like to live in a campus of a college. I am loving the program, I learned a lot of things with the program. 

The things I learned so far are ways of to deal with a conflict, time management, learning how to budget. I learned quite a few activities, the ones that I thought was fun was the blindfold game, the one that would be really loud in order to distract the people that are blindfolded.  

I am currently taking construction and I am making a step stool and a picture frame. Making a picture frame is easy and making a step stool is so fun because I am learning how to use these heavy-duty tools like the table saw, liner (not sure if it’s called that).  

Anyways, I am loving this program because I am learning a lot of new things and gaining a healthy way of thinking of what I can actually accomplish in the future. 

When I met my roommate, I was like freaking out because she’s exactly like me! We both have the same phone covers, bucket hats etc and personalities! I am really grateful for NYA for letting me be a part of this program!   

Getting to go to NYA Next was exciting, because we got to go to Ottawa, and I couldn’t wait to go there. When I got here, the NYA Staff were in the airport waiting for us. Then we went to the college campus that they talked about. When we got there, we had to introduce ourselves then I met Ace, Keira, Reana and O’Neill, Sunshine, Patti, Karen, Mahasi, DJ, Andrea, and everyone else.  

The activities are fun and I am learning things like construction, cooking at the kitchen, going to the mall, and exploring. The campus was fun and it was fun to introduce myself to the group I have. When I introduced myself to the group and they did too. 

 
I have experienced the campus and what it is like to study, learning about leadership respecting one another. I find it hard to talk sometimes so I can be quiet, so I listen to music a lot. 

 
I’m here to learn about leadership and trying to become a teacher, because my old teacher encouraged me to become a teacher, he motivated me and my family, so I won’t give up on that. 

 
About the activities and experiences so far here, I liked it at all times even when I have up and downs. I’m here to learn more stuff that I need to learn.  

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

The reason why I chose the vet clinic is that I want to become a veterinary technician after high school, and I wanted to learn about the experience. My coworkers are so kind and also very smart. I am learning something new every day from them and my supervisor.

Our second week of being in medicine hat, my house 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.

We also went to a reptile place, and I got to hold a snake for the first time which was a bit scary, but that didn’t stop me from holding it. I’m excited to head to Calgary and Banff if it all goes well we will also be camping soon.

I miss everyone from orientation. I met really amazing people also staff members. I am very excited to hear from everyone about their work placements and placement  experience but I kind of don’t want to leave Medicine Hat!