Cambridge Bay (Apr 18/05) - Two Nunavut teachers will spend five weeks in exotic countries this summer, but they won't be on holiday.

Kelly Giesbrecht, a teacher in Resolute, is heading to Malawi, Africa; and Jane Proctor from Cambridge Bay is going to Mongolia, Asia, as part of the Canadian Teachers' Federation "Project Overseas," a program that gives teachers a chance to develop their skills and get inspired in places like Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

"It's awesome," said Giesbrecht, who has lived in Resolute since 1999.

"Professionally it's a great experience. I'll be conducting workshops for other teachers. I'll be teaching with a co-tutor and my subject area will be English."

She arrives in Malawi July 20 and leaves Aug. 14.

"I love that I'm going from the High Arctic to the equator," said Giesbrecht. "How many people do that in a month?"

Jane Proctor in Cambridge Bay has taught overseas before, and is now overjoyed to be travelling to Ulaan Baatar, the capital city of Mongolia, to assist teachers of English as a foreign language.

"Having a social studies, history background Mongolia is a draw," said Proctor, who has been in Cambridge Bay for two years. "Genghis Khan. He controlled everything. They took over an entire continent," she said, passion clearly evident in her voice.

No overseas travel is complete without all those vaccinations, however, and that proves an extra challenge for isolated Northern residents.

Proctor still hasn't heard back yet about what strain of malaria she has to get vaccinated for. Whatever strain it is, ordering those vaccinations for Cambridge Bay can take weeks, even months.

Giesbrecht had to order shots for tetanus, hepatitis, a tuberculosis test and malaria pills.

"I called our nursing station here and they actually have a doctor they consult especially for these types of things," she said. "We faxed my order through a pharmacy in Iqaluit and then it gets sent up here. The whole process took about a month."

Both teachers say their travels will enrich their classrooms.

"It makes things so much more real for the students," said Proctor. "You learn so much more by living and working in the community. You learn about the country and culture, but get the reward of helping make things better."

Giesbrecht says nothing beats personal, hands-on experience.

"We hear so much about Africa on the news: extreme poverty, the AIDS epidemic," she said. "But to see it and feel it, it will make your teaching more alive."