Shannon at NYA’s Orientation in Ottawa. (Photo Credit: Thorsten Gohl)

Hello. My name is Shannon Green, I am from Paulatuk, Northwest Territories. I am spending my summer in Truro, Nova Scotia. When I first applied for this program I didn’t expect it to be this amazing, I expected it to be about just working and living with different people for the summer. It is so much more than that. I’ve gotten to see things I haven’t seen before, go to places I’ve never been, try new foods, and meet people I know I won’t forget. Getting out of my comfort zone was hard but I did it (I wasn’t much of a people person) sometimes I did it without even noticing. It has helped me gain good work experience, meet new one of a kind people, learn new things, what its like to live in the south, and to find my voice.

Having an experience like this is a once in a lifetime thing, I am thankful and grateful to have this opportunity, it will help me so much with my future, when I reach my goal I will think back on all the memories I’ve made on this trip because I know it’ll put a smile on my face. I hope I could do this again next year. I’d like to say a big thank you to all the NYA staff for making this all possible. (Quyunainni)