NUNAVUT/ONTARIO - Two girls from Nunavut spent their summer with a family in Drew, Ont., participating in the Northern Youth Abroad program.

The Moore family is hosting two girls from Nunavut this summer. From left, Laura Moore, Lavinia Flaherty, Amber Eleehetook, Brian Moore and in front, Stephen Moore. - photos courtesy of Laura Moore

Fifteen-year-old Amber Eleehetook from Gjoa Haven and 19-year-old Lavinia Flaherty from Iqaluit are both living with the Moore family this summer.

The Moores were eager to host the girls over the summer, host mother Laura Moore said, but no one was more excited than her eight-year-old son, Stephen.

"My son was really excited. He was running around, looking down the road for the bus," she said. "When we got them in the car and we started driving my son turned to them and said 'Have you ever seen a polar bear?'"

"It kind of broke the ice, it was really funny," she laughed.

Polar bear sightings aside, both girls said their trip has provided an opportunity to teach Ontarians about life in Nunavut.

"The most common questions are if we have hydro and if we still live in iglus and if there are trees up north and what kind of animals we have," Flaherty said. "They ask us about the prices in the stores and what kind of stores we have."

Each girl was required to spend 125 hours of their trip volunteering. Flaherty spent the majority of her time at Quardream Stable in nearby Mount Forest, Ont., before joining Eleehetook at the Caressant Care nursing home. Eleehetook spent her first weeks with a day camp in Minto.

While working at the nursing home, the girls put together a presentation for staff, the residents and their families to show them what Nunavut is really like.

"We did a presentation yesterday at the care centre so we pretty much told them everything they wanted to know," Flaherty said.

Moore said learning about Nunavut and Inuit was one of the best parts about hosting the girls.

"It just amazed me that we didn't really know anything and it's like a whole different world and it's right here in our own country," she said.

Eleehetook said her favourite part of the trip was threefold.

"Travelling, meeting new people, getting to know about other parts of Canada," she said.

The girls have participated in many activities during their trip, such as bonfires, swimming and "lots of shopping," Moore said.

Moore said she and her family are now longing for a trip to Nunavut.

"We really want to go there now," she said. "We want to see muskox and caribou and whales, the northern lights and the midnight sun. We want to see everything."