Iqaluit (May 31/04) - An Iqaluit teen will spend several months at the far reaches of British Columbia and China as part of the Canada World Youth (CWY) program.

"I'm really excited about it," said Karen Dunphy, 18.

"I'm kind of scared, too," said Dunphy. "I've never been away from my family that long before. I'm going to be away for Christmas."

Murphy just found out last week she is one of 25 Canadian youths accepted for the B.C./China exchange.

She has yet to meet her youth exchange partner from China, but they will spend the entire journey together.

The youth arrive in B.C. on Aug. 20 for the first three-month leg of this life experience. After three months working and living in B.C., the students head to China. Murphy returns home to Iqaluit in March 2005.

Murphy has had many life experiences that make her the kind of person Canada World Youth likes to bring on this journey: she is well-rounded academically, a high school graduate who has travelled as an athlete to Greenland and other places for the Arctic and Canada Winter Games. Now Murphy has been sending letters to Iqaluit businesses to raise the $1,900 required to cover some basic costs of the trip.