First taste of travel
Students on Ice expedition makes huge impression on Arctic Bay teenager
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Published Monday, July 28, 2014
OTTAWA
It was her first real adventure, and it left quite an impression.
Letia Kalluk of Arctic Bay, centre, joined Tatega Akpaleapik and Judy Kunnuk of Pond Inlet on the 2014 Students on Ice expedition to Nunavik and Greenland. - photo courtesy of Martin Lipman |
Letia Kalluk, 15, of Arctic Bay, was set to return home this weekend after two weeks cruising to Nunavik and Greenland with Students on Ice.
"It was amazing," Kalluk said. "I learned a lot of new stuff about the Arctic, animals, people and their cultures. I learned a lot about the ice, too."
Kalluk, who is going into Grade 11 at Inuujaq School, was one of two people from Arctic Bay on the trip.
"I don't travel," she said. "I go to other towns for tournaments, but this is a lot better than that. A girl from my school had a presentation about this and I thought it was interesting, so I thought I'd try it out."
The annual Arctic expedition involved 85 students aged 14 to 18 from around the world along with 49 scientists, explorers, artists, leaders and polar experts. The goal is to train future Arctic leaders and environmentally responsible citizens, the program's website states.
The students wake early and either study or hit the land.
"We do a briefing and presentation in the morning most times, and we usually go on the land by Zodiac," she said. "When we're out nowhere, we are on the ship more than usual."
For Kalluk, the trip was full of highlights.
"Doing the workshops, seeing animals such as polar bears and caribou, going on the Zodiac to town. I've seen a lot of polar bears back home, but getting up close it's a lot better."
Her favourite stop was Nanortalik, in Greenland.
"There are nice people there, and they were performing and singing," she said.
But it was more than a summer vacation. She called it a life-changing experience.
"I want to become a staff (on a future trip) or even an organizer," she said. "I want to help people go to this trip because it's a life-changing expedition, so they can tell people about what they learned."
And she vows to stay in touch with her new friends.
"I think I met all of the people on the ship. I'm going to stay in contact with everyone."
