Day 6 in Iqaluit

Today was a light day for us in Iqaluit. We had a fantastic workshop about furs and even got to practice sewing just like the native Inuk do. Through hard work and patience we learned how much effort actually went into a pair of fur mittens or even a jacket. The teacher, Ms. Pascal, was kind enough to let us try on some of the outfits she had made (Mr. Magee obviously took advantage). These furs were tanned which means that they don't smell after being exposed to a damp environment. They last quite a long time which is why you pay so much for them. We used scissors, but some of the Inuk students used an Ulu which is a half moon shaped knife commonly used by women. This knife had many uses including cooking, skinning, slicing and smoothing. The blade allows for full arm pressure when slicing between the fat and the fur of a freshly killed animal.

Our afternoon consisted of sports in the gym including basketball, volleyball and soccer. We had over two hours of running and exercise. Tonight will be the final pot luck feast and an evening social banquet for the students. Most of the students are sad to be leaving tomorrow, but are looking forward to seeing their friends and family when they get home. Our flight leaves tomorrow around mid day. We have a quick stop over in Ottawa until our flight home arriving at 9:10pm. Parents are reminded that we will be bused to Osler High School, and we expect to roll in around 10:30pm. We have cell phones so the students can contact you when we are on our way.

Day 5 in Iqaluit

Today was a quiet day for us in Nunavut. The trip out to the land really took a lot out of us yesterday. This morning we toured the largest RCMP office and headquarters for all the territories in Canada. We received a full tour, including the dispatch centre (which had 12 computer screens) and the cell block. The students got to try their hands at forensics as well and met all sorts of ranking RCMP officers. 

Next was the legislative building, which was very new and modern. The students learned a bit about the territorial government system and the crown hierarchy. The students even got to sit in the speaker of the house's chair. All the chairs were lined with the finest furs and leather.

In the afternoon we had time for souvenir shopping. Most of the students bought little things, as many of the larger items are very very expensive. Fur mittens can cost up to $200 a pair! Of course, these are real furs which means they have to catch the animal, skin the animal, chew the leather for the palms and tan the whole glove so it doesn't smell. The manual labour hours behind a simple fur glove is astounding. As I've found out, furs are by far the warmest material you can wear. They are also completely necessary out here for survival in many situations. 

Our evening consisted of watching a movie, either Burt Wundersome or The Croods in 3D. This restful night was great for our students to regain their strength and rest up. We have one final full day in Nunavut and then Saturday, we're back to Toronto!

Day 4 on the land

Today's activity would test our Osler staff and students like never before. We were to spend an entire day 2 hours from the city on the frozen tundra of Nunavut and learn how to ice fish. This was the first time our winter clothes would really be tested. Many of the Inuk people gave our staff and students extra clothes including fur boots, fur gloves, fur hats and fur jackets. Once we were all dressed up, we could hardly tell who was who! 

After we were all ready to go, we hoped into a qammotiq. A qammotiq is a wooden sled that is pulled by the snowmobile. The sled can usually fit three people and some supplies. After two hours over the ice and snow, we finally reached our destination. The inuk guide helped drill holes in the ice that were over 6 feet deep. We all tried our luck at fishing, but we unsuccessful. It's harder than it looks! We spent the afternoon lounging around in the snow and enjoying the fresh air and great views that only the arctic can offer. 

Around 5:00pm we headed back to Iqaluit to enjoy a nice roast chicken and veggies meal (with hot chocolate to warm us back up!). Even though the temperature was frigid, all the students had a great time. The last few days have been exhausting so we encouraged them to take an early night and we pushed their wake up time back from 7:00 to 8:00am. A well deserved rest after a gruelling day. No one can say Osler students and staff aren't tough!

Farheen (seen below)

Day 3 in Iqaluit

Day three was another busy day for our students. We started off our day with a tour of the local museum and visitors centre where we saw many fine tools, art and jewelry from the Inuit culture. The displays included stuffed arctic animals, and we learned about all the uses that the community had for them. We also visited some of their local shops and of course, the Tim Hortons, which was a highlight for staff as well!

The afternoon saw us attend a science class in the high school to make the comparisons between our school and theirs. Some of the students pointed out how teachers encourage students to call them by their first name and that they can wear hats and hoods in school. We reminded our students that our rules will not be changing when we get back to Toronto. 

The high school choir performed a lovely concert for us which included singing, dancing, drumming and throat-singing. While the throat-singing sounded odd to most of us, we loved the complexity and dedication it took to achieve such a great sound. After the performance, we headed over to the local Elementary school to help with their after school program. Our students helped the inuk elementary children read and finish their homework. Our students made us so proud with their professionalism, manners and eagerness to help. It was amazing to see our students with smiles on their faces just from helping others in need.

The evening was a real special event for all of our students. Each of their student pairs' families invited them back to their houses for dinner and entertainment. Our students were nervous at first to spend the entire night with their friend and family, but they were not disappointed. Each of our students reported having the best experience of the trip! Some tried foods like whale and seal meat, while others got to ride on a skidoo and experience hunting traditions. Our students were glad they got to spend some independent time with their twin and their families.

Tomorrow is a big day for us. We are heading out onto the ice fields where we will stay all day learning to ice fish and build igloos! We are making sure the students have all the warm clothes they need as tomorrow is going to be our coldest adventure yet!!

Photos from Day 2

We spent the rest of our day watching informative documentaries on Inuit tattoo traditions and throat-singing. You can find out about the documentary by clicking here. After our documentary, we went to one our host teachers' houses for some lasagna, salad, garlic bread and more. We also celebrated two birthdays for our Osler students! Of course, every night ends with a beautiful sunset photo from Mr. Magee. If you ever have questions, feel free to post comments below and I'll do my best to answer them!