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IKALUKTUTIAK/CAMBRIDGE BAY - "Ciao, buon giorno, momma mia!"

Talia Maksagak rehearsed the now familiar phrases like a pro.

Grade 10 students Talia Maksagak, left, and Nuka Olsen-Hakongak, right, have been anxiously preparing for a trip to Italy where they will visit Canadian war sites and take in as much of the culture as possible. - photo courtesy of Greg Hoosier

"I actually have an Italian uncle," she said. "His name's Tino. We call him Uncle T."

She noted another auspicious coincidence. Her name "Talia" is actually part of the word "Italia" or Italy.

In other words, her upcoming trip to Italy seems meant to be.

"It's just going to be great," she said. "I'm looking forward to the artwork because the artwork is beautiful and there's just so many places to go.

"But I'm mainly excited about meeting people and just being able to meet new friends."

A Grade 10 student at Kiilinik High School in Cambridge Bay, Maksagak and her schoolmates have been preparing for a trip to Italy for a year, from fundraising to spending lunch hours learning about the language and the culture.

In anticipation of departing April 6, the excitement among students and staff had reached its peak.

"I feel very excited, but you know, scared at the time because it's leaving into a different country," said 15-year old Nuka Olsen-Hakongak. "But I'm very exhilarated."

The trip signifies her first trip to Europe, and like Maksagak, the art is a big attraction.

"It's the art," said Olsen-Hakongak. "Like I'm really interested in art, even though I can't draw or paint or anything like that. I like learning about different artists."

A total of 17 students from the high school set out on the journey to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Italian campaign of the Canadian Forces in the Second World War. The school is calling it the D-Day Dodgers Tour, and it includes visits to Rome and Pompeii as well as Canadian war sites.

The travelling students had yet to land overseas when a 6.3 magnitude earthquake occurred April 6 in the city of L'Aquila, Italy. As far as the school was aware, the group still intended to make the journey.

First, however, the students were to spend a few days in Edmonton and visit Ponoka, Alta., where they would meet with two veterans – one who fought with a Polish regiment and another who served with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.

According to teacher Patti Bligh, the opportunity to meet with the veterans and hear their firsthand accounts of the war is a key part of the trip.

"It's hard to make that kind of connection," she said. "For the kids, I call them elders, because that's really what they are."

"We do have questions lined up," said Olsen-Hakongak. "We will be asking them a lot about what happened, how they feel and how they felt afterward."

Two years ago, Bligh helped take a smaller group of students to Normandy for a similar learning experience.

"That was hugely important and eye-opening," she said.

She said just as many Canadians were killed or injured in Italy as in Normandy – a fact that few seem to realize.

With the 65th anniversary, "lots of schools are sending classes," Bligh said.

While the students and staff have been fundraising for the journey, the school is grateful to have had the support of the Kitikmeot Development Corporation, the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, the Elks, the Nasittuq Corporation, First Air and others who have helped the group reach their goal.

"I think, to me, this is really exciting for everyone because it's good to learn about different cultures and languages," said Olsen-Hakongak. "It's good to travel, to get a taste of everything in the world."