Salut to Salluit

Well we're back in Kingston and slowly re-adjusting to life down South.

Our last few days in Salluit were amazing! We spent a very enjoyable Thursday at Pigiurvik Primary School, teaching a class we called "Being Healthy". We talked about basic nutrition, hygiene, and the importance of staying active. A favourite activity was "Nikki says", a variation on Simon says where we got the students to do jumping jacks and skips and then feel their hearts to show that it was beating faster. We also brought back the make-your-own trail mix that had been such a hit at the high school. The kids are taught in their native language up to grade 3, when they stream into either English or French, so throughout the day, Uqittuq, one of the counsellors at the school, worked with us and translated our lesson into Inuktitut. Despite the language barrier, it was great to get to know some of the younger kids. While we were in the halls, one little girl stared at our trail mix and exclaimed "That looks delicious!".

On Friday, we spent the day decorating cupcakes with the Ikusik kids. It was great to see all the classes one last time. We took so many pictures! At the end of the day, Kate asked us to come upstairs for a "staff meeting", where the teachers surprised us with a goodbye party! They gave us each a lovely card signed by all the staff and an ivory necklace and earring set (carved by one of the teachers, Richard). We both had tears in our eyes as we said the first of many thank yous and goodbyes.

After school, it was back to Monique's to finish preparing for the dances that night. The first one, for grades 5 & 6, was so great! The younger kids were much less shy about getting up and dancing, and the whole dance we led a solid crew of kids through some of our favourite moves. We had some senior kids volunteer to help us out, and we were so happy to see them dancing and encouraging the younger kids too! After the grade 5s & 6s had left, the older kids came to get their groove on. We were so happy and proud to see everyone coming out of their shells and hitting the dance floor! Favourite songs of the night included the macarena (or the MACARONI!!! as Maggie called it) and Wavin' Flag, which Heidi had choreographed a dance to. When the dance finally ended at 2am, volunteers and students stayed with us for a few more hours in the lobby, talking, taking pictures, and saying goodbye.

After a few hours of sleep and a very hectic pack, we arrived at the airport the next morning. To our total amazement, a group of Ikusik kids had walked an hour out to the airport to say one last goodbye. We were so touched! What a way to finish our project. Our last view of Salluit was a group of wonderful, amazing kids waving goodbye as our plane took off.

We are both so thankful that we got to spend those incredible weeks up North. Our experience in Salluit was one of the most challenging, eye-opening, BEST things we've ever done. Salluit definitely taught us just as much as we taught it.

Thank you so much to all the amazing people who have helped us along the way!