PAULATUK/NOVA SCOTIA
Shannon Green says her job placement as a Northern Youth Abroad participant this summer will help her learn the skills she needs for a career as a professional cook.

Paulatuk's Shannon Green is living in Truro, N.S as a Northern Youth Abroad participant. - photo courtesy of Thorsten Gohl

"After high school I'd like to go a culinary arts program," the 17-year-old said.

Green, who is from Paulatuk, is living with a host family in Truro, N.S. She has been working at the Hub Grub, a favourite hamburger restaurant in the community.

So far, she's been doing everything from wash dishes and taking food orders to making burgers and hand-cut fries.

The work is teaching her how a kitchen operates.

"I'm gaining work experience," she said.

Green said she enjoys cooking because it allows her to use her imagination.

"You could make anything," she said. "You could even be creative about it. It's like art."

Cooking isn't Green's only interest. Back home, she was learning how to repair and maintain snowmobiles.

"I wasn't fixing any, but I was getting to know more about them," she said.

Knowing about snowmobiles is a valuable skill in Paulatuk, she added.

"I find it interesting," she said. "It would be really helpful in my community."

The Hub Grub isn't Green's first job. At home, she sometimes helped unload the annual barge for local companies, including the Northern Store and PQS Enterprises.

"I would just unload the products and put them in the warehouse in storage," she said.

Green said in addition to her job, she's been spending time with her host family and placement buddy, Hayley Totalik. She's been shopping a few times and is hoping to see the movie Finding Dory before it's time to return home.

Green said she's scheduled to return to Paulatuk around Aug. 20.

In the meantime, she said she's been enjoying working on her program assignments and attending her job.

"I'm just trying to keep myself busy," she said.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.