Iqaluit (Mar 10/03) - The first time Joanne Fraser left her hometown of 400 people in Newfoundland, she travelled to Baffin Island. She was only supposed to be in Iqaluit for a year, but that's not the way it turned out.

Joanne Fraser moved to Iqaluit when she was 19 years old. Today, she and her family call Nunavut's capital their home. - Christine Kay/NNSL photo

She was 19 years old and it was 1984 when she arrived. At the time, anyone who landed at the airport in Iqaluit was greeted by the local Catholic priest, Father Pat.

"It took me five good months before I started wandering around town. I knew where the bank was and that was about it," said Fraser.

When she finally started exploring the city, she discovered there was no way of losing her way.

"You can't get lost here. Everything just brings you right back where you came from," she explained.

Fraser said it was people from her hometown that convinced her to move to the North. The couple asked her to come up to Iqaluit as their nanny. Fraser had been babysitting since she was 16.

Not even a month after she arrived in Nunavut, Fraser took on another job working part-time at NorthMart. Shortly after that she met her husband to be, Jerry, a supervisor at NorthMart.

"We got married in Iqaluit in 1996 about a year after our son was born," she said.

The wedding was "different" but beautiful, according to Fraser. She got married at Cadet Hall and instead of walking down the aisle, Fraser said she walked down the gun range.

Over the years, Fraser said she's seen many changes in Iqaluit, with more cars more people and lots of development.

"Brian's (Pearson) house used to be far but now it's right next door and Apex is far," said Fraser.

Sometimes, Fraser thinks of going back home to Newfoundland but a lack of jobs in the province makes it hard.

Fraser said Iqaluit is home for her family. Eventually, they'll move back home but for now they'll just go back for visits.

"Time up here flies. I feel like I just got here yesterday," said Fraser.