As we said farewell and returned to our communities, we all awaited the news of phase 2: Internship on an Expedition Cruise. I happened to be sitting at a cafe in Paris when I received the email with my placement information. “Ha! I am coming back to Paris?” I said to my travel mate. As it would turn out, my internship was with Quark Expeditions on a French Charter. This meant I would fly from Rankin Inlet to Winnipeg, overnight, head to Calgary for a connection to Paris to get on a charter aircraft to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The irony is I literally flew OVER Rankin Inlet to get to Paris. I am still processing the fact that this trip actually happened. Ice caps, glaciers, icebergs, bowhead whales, beluga whales, bears, birds, culture, Franklin Expedition graves and memorials, Thule sites, Hudson Bay posts, Inuit communities, a man in Greenland flipping his kayak in a demo over and over again! Quark welcomed me with such an amazing team and expedition. My mentor Nick, a great teacher and new friend, opened me to a whole world of possibilities on board. Thanks to him, I have a long list of cool books that’ll take me years to even get through. Our Expedition Leader, Ali, is both strong and kind, fierce yet graceful, both determined and understanding. I couldn’t wait to get home to tell my four daughters all about the powerhouse boss woman from Australia. But what is an Expedition Cruise without its guests? As I mentioned, this was a French Charter. Oui mesdames et messieurs ; I don’t speak or understand French. While this sometimes gave me more opportunity to learn all about life on board with my mentor, not being able to speak French was my biggest challenge. A close second was overcoming my nerves about driving a zodiac in the coldest water on earth (thanks for the support Nick—we did it!). But that challenge of not understanding, was also one filled with life lessons. I wanted so much to share with the passengers my story and experiences, to answer all their curious questions. I honestly didn’t know what else I could possibly have to contribute onboard. I was new, first time ever on a ship and learning. But I did know my social skills combined with my knowledge of my home and culture would be something I could give our passengers in the Arctic that
Reflections on Language, Communication, and Life. Lessons from Inuujaq
Although I had never set foot on an Expedition Cruise ship before, it was always something of intrigue and interest for me. Especially of those sailing through the high arctic to places like my childhood home, Pond Inlet. So, when I was recommended to the Nalunaiqsijiit Inuit Cruise Training program I knew I was definitely interested. The first session of training was held in Iqaluit, May of 2019. There I joined 11 other Inuit from across the Nunavut Territory. We all shared the same culture yet each and everyone of us brought such diverse backgrounds, ages, experiences, life stages, and family dynamics. During our intense 2-week training session we learned and we shared. Modules consisted of hospitality, passenger safety, polar bear guarding, expedition, culture, Nunavut, and wildlife. As we learned the many dynamics of an Expedition Cruise, we became a support network. I will never forget the nerves I had during our Polar Bear Monitoring course—when we hiked to Iqaluit’s shooting range and I had to shoot a high-powered rifle. I wasn’t the only one who felt a bit of anxiety, but all that faded with the support of our group. I don’t know which was greater; overcoming the anxiety of shooting for the first time or the roar of cheers when the shot went off.
51 | For more information, contact Quark Expeditions at Sustainability@QuarkExpeditions.com
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