How to be a Yellowknifer
Tour operator and blogger join forces to help newcomers adapt to the city
Jessica Davey-Quantick
Northern News Services
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Darkness is looming, and the minds behind a new tour to help newcomers adjust to Yellowknife want to make sure people are ready for it.
Rosanna Strong gives a tour to Jessica Dunkin, left, Joe Fitzgerald and Jennifer Luckay. - photo courtesy of Kyle Thomas
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"You've seen Game of Thrones right? Winter is coming," said Rosanna Strong, owner of tour company Strong Interpretation.
She and Yellowknife Online blogger Kyle Thomas have launched two tours How to be a Yellowknifer and Big City in the Boreal Forest, on Sept. 7. While How to be a Yellowknifer is for people who already live here, those considering the jump are welcome to take the Big City in the Boreal Forest tour.
"We haven't had a welcome wagon-style service since the 90s," said Thomas. "There isn't really anyone taking new residents out and showing them the town or talking to people about what it's actually like to live here."
He said the organizers hope their tour will fill in that gap. Part of that is hammering home the message that come November, Yellowknife becomes a winter wonderland and stays that way until May.
"We want to talk to them about not just the fluffy good things about Yellowknife like seeing the sites and the history, we want to talk to them about the reality of winter, what it's like to experience darkness and how to combat it, what services are available to people," said Thomas. "We want it to be very positive, but we also want to make sure that someone is prepared."
Both he and Strong are longtime Yellowknifers - she's been here 26 years, and he grew up here. They both say what they're doing is more than just giving a tour - they aim to help people adapt to a new city, and learn to love it as much as they do. Even the winter.
"If you talk to any longtime Yellowknifer, we thrive in it, we love it, it's something we embrace," said Thomas. "So that's what I'd like to portray to new residents, that it isn't something daunting that you have to deal with, it is something that's quite enjoyable."
He said the tours give people a chance to ask questions and get the lay of the land from locals.
"I remember my first couple months up here and I felt like I was really floundering a little bit, so I think this is still needed," said Strong. "We're still a very transient town and I think it's important that there's some way that we can help people make that transition a little bit smoother into their new life in Yellowknife."
They've had interest from several companies, as well as the military. Thomas said he's heard military spouses and families who come along for the ride can find it hard to transition.
"You're so far away from family that you end up having a new family of friends and close friends that become your family up here," said Thomas.
The pair is also offering a welcome package that includes local products, information pamphlets and an English-to-Yellowknifer dictionary.
"On one side it's all of the common acronyms that you might hear a Yellowknifer talk about, because sometimes as a newcomer you hear someone rattle off something and you have no idea what they're talking about," said Thomas.
One example would be the term NUP, used to refer to Northern United Place on Franklin Avenue.
The other side is what they call a 'directionary,' to help newcomers navigate a city where Thomas said people rarely use street numbers and navigate with reference points to landmarks.
"It's like, 'Walk two blocks until you see that green building.' You use all of these old buildings and some of them don't even exist anymore," said Strong. "It is confusing, just trying to figure things out. I spent a lot of time just nodding and smiling because I didn't understand what people were saying."
All of it is geared towards helping people find their feet and meet new people faster. Both agree the best way to do that is to get involved.
"Get out and volunteer for something," said Thomas. "Do one thing and you'll meet someone and they'll drag you along to something else, and all of a sudden your schedule is far too busy and you don't have any time for things and you're the president of an association and you've only been here six months and you're going, 'How the heck did I get here? This place is insane!'"
People can sign up for tours on the How To Be A Yellowknifer tour website.
