Hello, my name is Hannah Bekale. I’m 17 years old, and I’m from Gameti NT, which is also known as Rae Lakes. The population is probably under 300 people. I wanted to join NYA to experience what it’s like outside of my hometown and to explore the city’s different opportunities that my hometown doesn’t offer. There are many things and opportunities I want to try when I’m young, so I can figure out what I want to do in the future as I get older. I remember my teacher saying, “You don’t want a job you don’t enjoy, or you’ll be miserable doing it. So, you want a job that’s for you and something you enjoy.” I had the chance to experience what I liked and did not like during my visit here in Ottawa, Nepean.

The first or second week, I was debating if I should go home because I was scared I would get homesick and just not eat anything or do anything but thanks to my lovely host family and my placement buddy, they made me feel welcome and at home that I did not want to go home at all. To me, they are not called “host family” and “placement buddy,” they are my family now as they welcome me with open arms, comfort, laughter, love, connection and making me feel like I belong. I wasn’t really use to getting up so early, going to work on time, being adventurous and always on my feet or just always busy in general like all of it was just new to me but it was also a good thing because it made days go by faster, it made me less homesick, it made me busy and active which at home, I would of stayed in bed and do nothing at all. After all of that, I began to realize that it’s good for me to have a schedule and plan out the week, staying busy all the time.

I will forever be thankful for this amazing opportunity, as it has helped me become more productive, mindful, and develop a better mindset, schedule, leadership skills, socialization, and communication skills. I believe I set most of these goals before I came here. Thanks to the NYA program for selecting me as a participant and helping me realize how blessed I am. I’m also grateful to realize I can set goals for myself, aim towards them, and achieve them. I never thought about going to university or college after I am done high school like I was thinking small and just stay in a small community but now, I want to go to college or university and live in the city which I also want to have a job to help kids or people have opportunities I had growing up and be better for them. I also want to work for natural environment resources or just on-the-land monitoring to learn about my hometown and my culture, which our elders call “Our way of life,” and that is important to me. Ever since I went on the land programs growing up, I knew I wanted to have a job that involves being on land.

I did some volunteering at a winner’s day camp for a week, which I loved and love working with kids from time to time! I also volunteered at this program called the Academy of Martial Arts, and I love it since it is similar to wrestling (I do wrestling and will be competing in the Canada Summer Games). We played with the kids, engaging in a variety of activities. We go to the park every day, and we practice every morning. It warms my heart to hear a laugh from one of the kids, knowing they’re having fun and enjoying their time at martial arts, just as I did. I had many different opportunities staying here, which so far, the couple of activities I enjoyed with my host family are going to the beach, a powwow, and rockhounding, hiking, glow-in-the-dark mini golfing, Parc Omega, kayaking, Calypso theme waterpark and stand-up water paddling.

My old principal encouraged me to sign up for NYA, and I was surprised to be selected from over 200 applicants from NWT and Nunavut. I’m thankful to have been chosen for these amazing opportunities! I will never forget this opportunity and the memories I made with my host family and my friend. I strongly encourage those interested in the NYA program to apply, as it offers an awesome and great opportunity to experience things your hometown may not have. I’m having a great time, thanks to my host family, NYA staff, my friend, and others for welcoming me. I am blessed and grateful to be here.

Masi Cho for reading,

Hannah