Yose Cormier
Northern News Services

Pond Inlet (Sep 08/03) - Di Schulze and Chris Kellett both thought it would be an interesting opportunity to go halfway around the world.

They thought it would be an interesting opportunity to leave behind constant summers of 40-plus weather in Australia for constant winters of 40-below weather in Nunavut.

Schulze is the head nurse in Pond Inlet, Kellett is head nurse in Qikiqtarjuaq.

They've been in the North now for four years, and aren't planning on moving yet.

"I like it here. It's something gorgeous, the people are terrific and it's a nice working environment," said Schulze.

Kellett, who moved here with her husband, thinks so, too.

"I saw an advertisement in an Australian paper and thought it would be fun. And it has been absolutely fun. It's one of the best jobs I've ever had. I really enjoy working here," she said.

The two nurses were part of a group of 11 Australians who came to Canadain August of 1999 to take a nursing exam in Edmonton and take on two-year contracts in a number of Nunavut communities.

Three didn't make it past a few months while the others left once their contracts were up. Schulze and Kellett had different plans.

"It was hard at first, but we were really lucky coming in with a group of Australians. We had a strong connection all around Baffin Island. We had a strong support network," said Schulze.

And that network provided the nurses an outlet, a link to home they could reach out to during hard times.

The two nurses met when they arrived in Edmonton and have stayed in contact since, even meeting now and then during trips around Nunavut.

Both worked as nurses in the Outback of Australia and that has helped.

"We were far from family already. I never expected a hard transition. Probably the biggest concern was cold but it's not been a problem at all. You fall into it.

"I'm actually not that good with the heat anymore," Kellett said.

Schulze worked as a flight nurse, flying to aboriginal and mining communities.

Both nurses are able to draw comparisons between life in the Outback of Australia and what could be described as the outback of Canada.

"Initially everything was different, but in time I saw many similarities. The beauty of the barrenness, the extreme of temperatures, the isolation, the small communities, living far from services," said Schulze.

But that's where the similarities end for her.

"It's still quite a traditional lifestyle in Australia, a very mobile society there. Here they are attached to one place. There they have a strong spiritual attachment to the land they feel is theirs, more movement there," said Schulze.

Kellett thinks it's the people that make the difference.

"People are a bit easier to get along with.

"I get more job satisfaction working with Inuit than people back home and I had worked for a few years there," Kellett said.

Both nurses feel they will stick around the North for a bit longer. One thing both are glad to see is the arrival of some Inuit nurses.

"In the next year or two we will have qualified Inuit nurses coming in," said Schulze.

And Kellett said she will be the first to offer her job to a qualified Inuk.

If and when that happens, Kellett knows there may be some problems. She has seen it in Australia.

"It can be very difficult at times because they are dealing with their relatives and some tend to push them around. We are going to see those problems and I hope people recognize that," Kellett said.

For both Schulze and Kellett, the beauty of the land and the people is what keeps them here.

"It's amazing. The land is fantastic, the flora is amazing and I love camping. Where else can you have supper and watch 100 narwhals passing by," Schulze said.

While Schulze has tried country foods and can even say she likes caribou and may even get used to seal, there is one she doesn't think she will ever grow to like.

"I'll probably never be a big muktuk fan," she admitted.

Kellett admits she is a bit more fussy, but likes caribou and char.

"I've tried seal, but I didn't go much on that. I was offered muktuk, but I couldn't bring myself to try that. I've tried muskox, but didn't like it," she admitted.