Hello everyone, my name is Asta Taptuna and I am from Kugluktuk, NU. This is my blog and I’ll be talking about my trip so far with Northern Youth Abroad. 

When I first found out I was going on this NYA trip, I honestly didn’t think much of it. I saw it as just another program, another trip, another thing to cross off my list. I figured it would be something to keep me busy for a little while before I went back to my normal life. I never imagined that something I almost underestimated would end up changing the way I see myself, the people around me, and life as a whole.

If someone had asked me before I left how I thought this experience would go, I probably would have shrugged and said, “It’ll be okay.” Looking back now, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The biggest surprise wasn’t the activities or the places we’ve been. It was the people.

I’ve met some of the kindest, most supportive, and most genuine people I’ve ever known. Before coming here, I assumed everyone would stick to themselves or that it would be hard to make real connections. Instead, I found a group of people who encourage one another, celebrate each other’s successes, and help each other through the hard days. Whether it’s laughing together during activities, checking in on someone who’s having a rough day, or simply sitting together at the end of a long day, these little moments have become some of my favorite memories.

The staff have also been incredible. They don’t just supervise us. They care. They listen, they encourage us to push ourselves, and they remind us that it’s okay to struggle. They’ve helped create an environment where everyone feels welcome, accepted, and valued.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that growth rarely happens when you’re comfortable.

I thought the hardest part of this program would be the activities, the schedule, or stepping outside my comfort zone physically. None of those came close to the real challenge.

Homesickness has been, without a doubt, the hardest part of this experience.

No one can really prepare you for what it feels like to be away from the people, places, and routines you’ve known your whole life. There are moments when everything reminds you of home. Sometimes it’s something as simple as hearing a song, eating a certain meal, or lying in bed at night with too much time to think. Those moments can feel overwhelming.

There were days when all I wanted was to hug my family, sleep in my own bed, or just be somewhere familiar. Missing home isn’t something you can simply “get over.” It’s something you learn to live with one day at a time.

As difficult as homesickness has been, it’s also taught me something important.

It showed me just how much I appreciate the people waiting for me back home. It reminded me not to take the little things for granted, because sometimes it’s the everyday moments that end up meaning the most.

But it also showed me something else.

It showed me that I’m stronger than I thought.

Every day that I wake up, choose to stay positive, and keep going despite missing home is proof that I can handle more than I give myself credit for. I’ve learned that courage isn’t about never feeling scared or sad. Sometimes courage is simply getting out of bed, showing up, and making the most of the day even when your heart is somewhere else.

This trip has also changed the way I look at other people.

Before coming here, I think I judged situations too quickly. I assumed I knew how people would act or what experiences would be like before giving them a real chance. This program has reminded me that first impressions don’t tell the whole story. Some of the people I barely knew at the beginning have become people I genuinely care about. Complete strangers have turned into friends I’ll always remember.

I’ve learned that everyone is carrying something you can’t see. Some people miss home just as much as I do. Some are dealing with challenges they never talk about. Yet every day they continue showing up with kindness and compassion for others.

That has inspired me.

I’ve also learned to appreciate the little things more than ever before.

A conversation that makes you laugh until your stomach hurts.

A beautiful sunset after a long day.

A supportive teammate cheering you on.

Sharing stories before bed.

The feeling of accomplishing something you didn’t think you could do.

These moments seem small, but together they’ve created memories I’ll carry with me long after this trip is over.

I think one of the greatest gifts this experience has given me is perspective.

Life isn’t just about staying where you’re comfortable. Sometimes you have to leave everything familiar behind to discover who you really are. Growth is uncomfortable. It’s emotional. It’s exhausting. But it’s worth it.

If I had stayed home, I never would have met these amazing people. I never would have learned how resilient I can be. I never would have realized how much I value connection, kindness, and simply being present.

As much as I’ve struggled with homesickness, I know it’s part of my story now. It’s a reminder that I love deeply, that I have people worth missing, and that even while my heart is split between home and this experience, I’m still growing every single day.

I came into this program expecting very little.

I’m leaving with memories I’ll never forget.

I’m leaving with friendships I never expected.

I’m leaving with more confidence than I arrived with.

Most importantly, I’m leaving as a different person.

This trip didn’t just teach me new skills or give me something to put on a résumé. It changed the way I see life. It taught me that stepping into the unknown can lead to the most meaningful experiences. It reminded me that kindness still exists everywhere if you’re willing to notice it. It showed me that the people around you can become your biggest source of strength, even if they started as strangers.

This experience has been far from easy. There have been tears, moments of doubt, and days when I wished I could be home. But there has also been laughter, encouragement, unforgettable memories, and personal growth that I never expected.

If I could go back to the day I left for this trip, I’d tell myself not to underestimate what was ahead.

Because what I thought would be “just another trip” became one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.

Sometimes the experiences we expect the least from end up teaching us the most.

And for that, I’ll always be grateful.

Hi everybody, to the people who are reading my blog! First off, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Joseph Koonoo. I am 17 years old, born in Iqaluit, but I was raised in the community of Pond Inlet, Nunavut. About 2 years ago, I started travelling frequently to the south after I heard about the Ayalik Fund (which is in partnership with Northern Youth Abroad now) and was a trainee in the tall ship expeditions, where we sailed from St. John’s, all the way up to the northern tip of Newfoundland, ST. Anthony. I am an outgoing person; I like to play a variety of sports, for example, hockey, volleyball, soccer, and much more. Also, not too long ago, I went to the Badminton Territorial tournament that was hosted in Iqaluit. I would like to pursue a career as a welder or a carpenter, as I am a hands-on individual.

The Northern Youth Abroad program is a Canadian charitable non-profit organization that provides travel education and volunteer opportunities for youth between the ages of 15 and 22 from Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The first time I heard about this program was right around a year ago. One of my relatives was a participant in one of the core programs, the Northern Youth Abroad Canadian program, and the Northern Youth Abroad Next program; my cousin was a participant in the Canadian program last year and did a presentation in our school talking about how to apply to the program, how the program provides volunteer experience, and offers work-place experience. This year I was lucky enough to participate in the NYA Next program with the same cousin who participated in the NYA Canadian program. The Northern Youth Abroad Next program offers hands-on experience such as trades, volunteer work, and also extra credits if you are still in school.

On the day we travelled, once we arrived in Iqaluit, we met with a few of the participants from the Qikiqtani region. That day was really special to me, because I finally got to reunite with my biological father after so many years. We got to introduce ourselves to each other. After we got to the plane, it was nice sitting next to a person whom I am familiar with because I was sitting next to the person whom I played with in the regional hockey tournament that was being hosted in our community. We arrived in Ottawa at midnight, and we were exhausted from the 4-hour flight. The first night we arrived at the Algonquin College residence, the project leaders were very nice to every participant, and they carried our luggage to our dorms. We met each participant for the first time; it was pretty nerve-racking meeting one another.

The first week of the program, we went to the Local 71 union, and we were training for trades. The whole group split into 4 groups: one group did plumbing, the second group did soldering, the third group did crane management. The final group was only 2 people in the group and did arc welding. My favourite part of training for trades was when my cousin and I did welding because I had a refresher of the experience from a couple of years back, and I did MIG welding, which is quite different from arc welding. My second favourite part of trades training was when we did soldering because we had to work with fire, and I like to challenge myself physically and work with dangerous equipment such as propane torches. Then the other 2 (crane management and plumbing) were very interesting too, but they did not catch my interest as much as welding and soldering did, in my opinion. This activity with Local 71 really amplified my vision of having a career as a welder because the welding instructor had great answers to my many questions about where I could go to welding school, what types of welding there are, what specific type of welding I would prefer, and what the most affordable equipment is.

Overall, the whole experience of the program has been extraordinary, because the program has provided all of us understanding of what it is like to live an urban environment, how college life might go along, and getting all of us experience of work-placement and volunteer work so that our steps of applications can go way easier and have a higher chance of being hired to a job that we have an interest of. Even though the activities were so interesting, there were some points in the program that made me want to resign because of all of the assignments that had been put on us, and being so homesick because I was not familiar with the schedule and wanted to go back to my home, a place that I am more familiar with.

Although the stress was unbelievable, this program has changed my life in very unexpected ways, such as helping me push through an addiction of smoking (as of now, I stopped smoking a week ago or more), providing me with an understanding of how to push and thrive through tough times in my life, and created an unbreakable bond with each and every person in the whole group. If you are interested in applying to the program, I encourage you to apply and participate in the activities that would be shared with all, because I promise you that this program has changed my life in every possible way. I had the best moments with the whole group. They were unbelievably great and outstanding! I wish them all the best. And I am looking forward to finishing this program and heading back home, although each and every one of us will miss each other dearly. Thank you for your patience in reading my blog, and I hope that no one will ruin your day. Keep your head up when you’re going through tough times because those days will pass eventually, and will reminisce about those days because they will teach you strength and perseverance.

Hello everyone! My name is Rowena Kogvik, and I’m from Gjoa-Haven, Nunavut. Here is a little bit about me.

My favourite things to do are: going camping, hunting, sewing, beading, and a lot more. When I first landed here in Ottawa, I felt nervous to meet new people, and super exited to learn more and new things.

My favourite part about this program is meeting new friends, all the activities we all did as a group, going to the museum of history is one of my favourite place that we went to. Trades was a lot of fun, I enjoyed using a jack hammer, and welding, touring around the city of Ottawa, learning how to take buses and navigating, but my most favourite thing that I did was getting a tattoo same day as one of my friends that I just met here at NYA.

The NYA Next program has helped me grow and learn so much about my future and also myself, I’ve learned so much about living on campus, and how it is to live in the south. I have learnt how to be more independent, more comfortable with people that I haven’t met before. I love how the staff and super supportive and helpful to each and one of the participants and the people that are surrounded by them.

My favourite thing that I like so far about my personal learning project was going to the Ghana Festival and trying new different foods and learning about their different languages. And also learning about the history of totems at the museum of history.

For the young generation that reads this, I encourage you all to get out of your comfort zone and try any opportunities that are given to you.

Thank you, Rowena.

Hi I’m Sara Apples and I’m from Gametì, NWT.

Before I travelled to Ottawa for the NYA Next program, I was so nervous about being away from home for a month. But as soon as I arrived, I felt so welcomed by the project leaders and the other participants, and those nerves quickly disappeared.

I’m so grateful that I took this opportunity to travel to a part of Canada I had never been to before. Not only have I been able to explore a new place, but I’ve also learned how to be more independent. One of my favourite parts of this experience has been meeting people from Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. It has been amazing getting to know them, learning about where they come from, and hearing about their cultures while sharing my own.

Over the past week, I’ve had the chance to experience what college life is like by living in residence at Algonquin College. I’ve also loved exploring Ottawa, especially downtown, and learning how to navigate the city using buses and trains. At first, it seemed a little intimidating, but it has become part of the adventure.

One of the most memorable parts of this program has been learning about Inuit culture. I find it so fascinating to hear everyone speak their language, and I’ve even been taught a few words. I’m still practicing the pronunciation, but I’m excited to keep learning.

Another part of the most rewarding parts of this program has been learning carpentry. Before coming here, I never expected to enjoy it as much as I do, but it has become one of my favourite experiences. I’ve enjoyed learning how to safely use different tools, understanding the process of building something from the ground up, and seeing all of our hard work come together. It’s shown me that carpentry is about so much more than building with wood—it takes patience, problem-solving, teamwork, creativity, and attention to detail. Every project has challenged me to step outside my comfort zone and trust myself to learn something completely new. It has been incredibly rewarding to see my progress, and I’m proud of the skills and confidence I’ve gained along the way. This experience has even made me appreciate the trades more and opened my mind to opportunities I had never really considered before.

It’s hard to believe it has already been more two weeks into the porgram. Every day, I’m learning something new, whether it’s becoming more independent, meeting new people, or experiencing life in a different part of Canada. This has been my first time visiting Ottawa, and it has been such a meaningful and unforgettable experience.

When I first left home, I was scared. Looking back now, I’m so glad I took that leap. This experience has shown me that there is so much more of Canada to explore beyond my hometown. Ottawa has truly felt like a second home, and I’m so thankful to the project leaders and participants for making me feel so welcomed. Although I’ll be sad when it’s time to leave, I know I’ll always be grateful for the memories, friendships, and experiences I’ve gained through the NYA Next program.

When I first arrived in Ottawa, I thought the building on 311 Richmond Road was good, and there were a lot of stores. Now it’s kind of different places where I go. My favourite activities so far have been the swimming pool and the beach. I had to practice because I only know how to swim backwards, but with more practice, I’ll get better.

I’m interested in the trades and want to learn more about them. I like plumbing, carpentry, and house painting the most. What I’ve learned about the trades and house painting could be useful to my community. The most important thing is fixing houses, and that’s part of the learning.

If I could describe this experience in three words, I’d say: sometimes too hot and sweating the whole day, sometimes fun and exhausting, and sometimes more experience and communication.

I liked the farm and the orientation booklet. It’s kind of different, but the planting was nice, different plants. I would like to try new food. What I like the most is sushi, and I want to keep trying new things. For my PLP I am learning about food and nutrition. Nutrition is about trying different food, and it’s good to try more. Sometimes my favourite food is poutine, but I also really like salad, spaghetti and meatballs, steak, ham, and turkey.

Hey everyone! This is Kylar Irish, if that name is familiar to you, then you might remember me from the Canadian program two years ago. This is my second program with NYA, and so far I’m having so much fun! Either way, again my name is Kylar Irish, I’m from Aklavik Northwest Territories, lived there my whole life. I heard about Northern Youth Abroad in 2024, and applied for the Canadian program, after that in 2025 applied for the Next program, but became an alternate, though this year I had the fortunate opportunity to come on this program and meet all these amazing people here as well! And if any high schooler from home is interested in the NYA program, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY!!! THIS IS AN AMAZING PROGRAM! YOU WILL LEARN SO MANY THINGS IN JUST ONE OR TWO MONTHS!! Either way, let’s get into my experience here.

(sorry for the bad pic)

So when I first got here, we didn’t immediately start doing trades or volunteering, we had to do orientation, getting to know all of the people we’re living with, and to know our group leaders. After orientation week is over we then get to start to do trades and volunteering, and so far it’s been very fun and interesting! What we did on the first day of trades is wielding, soldering, pipefitting, and crane management, the last one meaning that we direct a crane on what to do, I don’t know how to word it, you can look that up I guess. I had fun learning how to weld, because it’s so interesting for me you have to have special equipment to do any welding, it’s so cool! But the other ones were cool as well, especially the crane director, but I think my interest is more in welding. And then for the next three days we did a carpentry class, and in that class we are building a lantern, and I’m having so much fun with it! I love to build things with my hands, and I can’t wait to finish my lantern!

I’m going to be talking about personal experiences and enjoyment, my favourite part so far of the program is heading to an art museum and seeing Indigenous art, it was SO COOL!!! And amazing! There were so many cool things to see! My favourite part out of everything!

And the last two things I’ll be talking about is a live music performance I just saw, and going to a nature museum. This museum is my most favourite museum I’ve ever visited! And that’s because it had a DINOSAUR EXHIBIT!!! It was SO COOL!!! To see the bones of dead dinosaurs! And the other thing that I was just at, a live music show! It was amazing! There were two bands, and they are so cool and play so good!! The music was wonderful! I was just dancing! And I don’t dance a lot, so that’s saying something!

(This is one of the bands that played tonight.)

That’s everything I’ve wanted to tell you all about my trip so far! It’s going amazing, and I’ve had wonderful opportunities to do things I might have never done before! So I’m very fortunate to be here with all these amazing people! I hope you enjoy this word vomit of Kylar J.A.M Irish! Have a splendid day!

Hello! My name is Rick Aningaat and I am from Baker Lake, Nunavut. I am apart of the NYA next program of 2026. Some of my hobbies are cleaning, cooking/baking, listening to music, and throat singing.

So far, what I’d like to work on is learning how to navigate and explore the city of Ottawa alone, time management such as planning ahead of time, being on time, and setting a curfew to hand in assessments. And also learn to set a curfew to balance work life and self care. I also would like to learn to set boundaries for myself.

My highlight of next is meeting familiar and new faces, building more than just a bond with one another, and experiencing new careers, doing tours around the city, campuses, taking the bus and trains to get and leave places. My 2 dream jobs are becoming a baker/chef, and to also become a pilot.

One of my favourite things I did within the first 2 weeks of Next is to learn how to help direct the crane driver and deliver loads safely. I’d love to take part in a culinary arts program and visit a local bakery in Ottawa as I love baking as much as I love to clean.

What I love about Next, is when your homesick, you have all these kind, loving, caring, most wonderful people to help you feel less homesick after chatting. Next helps prepare for post secondary, live on campus, tour different colleges and universities, take part in trades such as plumbing, pipe fitting and so much more!

I highly recommend to take the NYA Next if you love to do hands on learning, projects, and trying out new things you never did before. Time may feel like its slow during the first week or so but when in reality when you get to know everyone, you’ll lose track of time without realizing.

Thank you, Rick Ross.

Hi! My name is Keira, I am from Cambridge Bay, NU.

Here is a little bit about myself; I am 19 years old, I like being out on the land, hunting, fishing, I am a sewer, I do some beading as a hobby once in a while (season depending). I like going out on programs like NYA and all the other programs that may fit in my schedule, meeting new friends, learning different things & travelling.

Northern Youth Abroad; I have been participating in Northern Youth Abroad programs since 2023. My first program was the Northern Youth in Service – for my project I did an Emma Louise Memorial tournament (basketball tournament). The Canadian program – I was placed in Campbell River with my buddy Josephina from Clyde River. Campus tours in Edmonton & Calgary. Last but not least the NYA Next program!

My last NYA program 🙁 and I couldn’t thank NYA enough to watch me grow into the person I am becoming, teaching me a lot of educational things; helping me find what I want to do as a career, giving me patience, structure and unbreakable bonds.

NYA Next – I came here to Ottawa for the program expecting to just experience living college life and to see if I like the trades, but this program has taught me so much more than what I came for. I now have unbreakable bonds, learned more about careers, hands on work and so on… I have been enjoying this program, it is very educational. Thank you to whomever makes it happen 🙂

Keira Tikhak-Kaomayok

Hello to everyone reading this blog, you might remember me from last year as this is my second time writing a blog with and for the Northern Youth Abroad program. My name is Mitchell Mannilaq and I am from Taloyoak Nunavut but I have been living in Gjoa Haven Nunavut for the past 2 years now. When I first heard about the NYA program I must’ve been like 10 because one of my older sisters was already attending the program, from there on I knew I had to attend the program once I get older. And here I am writing a blog for my NYA experience and also attending both of their core programs. I’ll always encourage the youth from Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak to always try and apply for one of the programs that NYA has to offer because believe me when I tell you NYA HAS CHANGED MY LIFE!

Okay I want to start talking about my NYA Next experience now! First off I obviously started with traveling, a group of us from the Kitikmeot region and almost everyone from NWT overnighted in Yellowknife, nothing too exciting as it was just an overnight. Next day we flew to Calgary, had a few hour layover then we finally headed to Ottawa. We arrived at Ottawa’s airport around midnight and I finally got to see the wonderful NYA staff again. They are all very beautiful in their own way <3. Next day orientation started and holy I was very very tired, I was very sleep deprived. After orientation was 2 weeks worth of waking early and getting work done, we did things like touring campuses, visiting a barn that is older than Canada, doing a lot of trades, delivering food from the food banks, doing a scavenger hunt and exploring Ottawa, touring the outside of parliament, using a golf simulator for the first time, touring Nunavut Sivuniksavut, and a really important one for me is attending the Assembly of First Nations. Very strong words and very very inspiring.

And this last experience I’ll be talking about is very recent so I can tell you about it in detail. So today July 17 2026 as I am writing this we went to TD Place and watched a professional women’s soccer game. It was the Ottawa Rapids versus the Halifax Tides. Although I was cheering for Halifax they lost 2-1, it was very fun and probably the best night so far. I got to eat pizza and drink some pop. After the game I got some pictures with team Halifax. It is getting very late as I am writing this blog now so I should probably get some sleep so I can be ready for trades tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed reading Mitchell Mannilaq’s 2026 NYA experience and I hope you have a wonderful day!