Day 296- Jan. 14- Harriet Keleutak

 Harriet always makes me laugh and I love her free spirited nature. You never have to wonder what she is thinking because she will tell you if you take the time to ask, and frankly, I find that to be a breath of fresh air!

I've enjoyed working with Harriet closer the last 3 years, since I began to work regionally, and even more closely together since I began coordinating the program and had to organize interpretation for all the presentations we run each year. She works hard and is straightforward so that you know you can count on her to make things happen.

Through our travels for meetings or workshops, I've had a few chances to hear her own story of her youth and how education took her away from her home and family. Her story is a powerful one, that opens your eyes to the impact of government policies that didn't always give students a say in what they wanted in their lives. Despite challenges she faced, she is a strong, resilient and brave woman. I respect her and love it when I have the chance to hear her perspective on things that we sometimes take for granted. She's not afraid to challenge people to think and change if necessary. 

I'm glad I can call Harriet a friend. She is brave and thought provoking. I was really touched in a recent workshop that we had for front line professionals. During a discussion about creating safer spaces in our schools for youth in Nunavik, she brought a challenge to all of the participants for them to self-examine their views and possible lack of acceptance of youth, who are questioning their sexuality. It was a tough topic to bring up since there are many strongly opposing views held by the church goers in many communities. As a result of her bravery to bring up the topic, which still has many taboos around it in the region, we were able to have a productive and open sharing about what we can do and ow we can support youth better, who might be struggling to find a place to talk about how they are feeling. I think we all benefit from her willingness to push people out of their comfort zone.

Song of the Moment: My Style by Black Eyed Peas

Day 295- Jan. 13- Sabrina Landry and Amelie Drolet

I first met Sabrina and Amelie when they were nurses back in the early 2010's in George River. They were the first nurses I actually got to know enough to want to hang out with. Usually teachers and nurses are both super busy, they often have very separate existences within a community. Teacher spend so much time during the day working and staying in the school bubble and tend to get out mostly on weekends. Nurses can be busy any time of the day or night, they are often on call, or backing each other up in cases that there are unexpected emergencies. They are sometimes working late hours in the nights or weekends. Due to their intense schedules, they often work on a two or three month rotation with other nurses, which added to the lack of opportunities I had prior to knowing these two for social interactions with nurses.

Sabrina and Amelie were not your typical nurses either, they hosted potluck suppers and invited lots of colleagues and their friends. I think that's how our friendship was cemented. They introduced me to a "Quebec delicacy", and no I don't mean poutine. Ironically I never really hear of many Maritimers making it, despite the availability of the fresh ingredients. They hosted a whole bunch of us for a seafood pizza party. Man was that stuff ever tasty- like any other pizza the crust is standard, then a bechamel replaces the tomato sauce, seafood added as toppings, and then a nice layer of mozzarella cheese browned on the top. I'm sure there was some other secret to it, but it's been so long since I had it that it escapes me right now, however that stuff was DELICIOUS! 

We enjoyed many delicious meals, some snowshoe hikes, and I even had the chance to meet up with Sabrina a few times in Montreal too. Sabrina generously introduced me to many fun places to go out and many new experiences to explore. I think she single handedly made me fall in love with Montreal and all the wonderful things and people it has to offer. Instead of always stopping in MTL for a single night on my way north to GR or south to NS, I started enjoying taking a few days or a week to explore and get to know the city better. We wrote some pretty hilarious stories together from my visits. Some of those visits still make me laugh out loud when I think about our crazy escapades!

Sabrina taught me how to both work hard and also how to take care of myself more, to take breaks and to pamper myself. She dragged me to try have a spa day on one visit to MTL. I have to admit I would've never planned that on my own, due to my perpetual fear of laughing and being ticklish during massages, but it was a great time. 

Last week I was excited to see that after a couple of years of hiatus and a wedding, Amelie has now come back to GR to fulfill her role of nurse. I unexpectedly ran into her and her husband out on a walk on a particularly buggy day in the first weeks of September and it made me happy to see her back. We see so many people come and go in different capacities and jobs that it's nice to see some return again.

Song of the moment: Hercules by Sara Bareilles

Day 294- Jan. 12- Julien Roy

Julien Roy was a nurse in George River for a few years. Normally, for some reason, nurses and teachers never really spent much time together. Maybe it was due to conflicting schedules, however when Julien, Sabrina and Amelie were regular nurses in town, I finally had the chance to bridge that gap.

Julien agreed to teach a class on sex education for us, explaining what regular examinations were like and what STI tests entailed. My students were kind of shy, but really glad to get outside the school whenever we could. Not every nurse would make time for educating the youth, but he was willing and did a great job.

Julien was a thoughtful and fun loving friend to have in town. I miss him being here, now that I am reminiscing! He left a couple years ago to pursue graduate studies and since then I have never really gone to meet the new nurses. Back in those days, we used to go for hikes to the end of the road, to have picnics or just talk at length about life and the pursuit of happiness. I enjoyed his free spirit and willingness to throw on the boots with very short notice and walk.

During my visits to Montreal, we used to make time to meet up for dinner or coffee. It's been a while since I saw him as time and life passes by and changes our priorities and availability. The fun part is that I am confident that if we had the chance, it would be as fun as all our meetings.
After scanning old photos to decide which ones to include, I was reminded of this sushi supper at Sabrina's in the Plateau. I think it was the most delicious sushi I have ever had in the south. Maybe that will have to be our reunion supper plan, okay? I hope he is well wherever he is in this moment.

Song of the Moment: This isn't Everything You Are by Snow Patrol

Day 290- Jan. 8- George River (Kangiqsualujjuaq)

So, Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City was an author, who insisted that New York City was one of the main characters of the TV sitcom. If she can say a place is personified on TV, then I will argue that George River, otherwise known as Kangiqsualujjuaq, has WAY more spirit than NYC will ever have.

I could speak of the people, who make this place incredibly warm during all seasons, however the whole blog is about the people, so I will stay focused on the land. I drove on the road north of the airport. There have been many road clearing projects out of town in the last few years I have been here. They are extending further and further outside of the town so that we can have almost the same level of "vehicular freedom" in summer and autumn as we do in winter. Winter is amazing since you can literally skidoo ANYWHERE with very little resistance.

Driving up the hill and past the low tide of the river was very refreshing. The blue sky seemed to extend forever, painted with only a few fluffy accent clouds. These aren't the fanciest pictures, but the land, the water, the air and the sky is all so pure that the simplicity is the beauty. I drove to a spot where a creek had washed away the road, stopped to pick some labrador tea for a friend (who was told by an elder that it can be an effective medicine for skin irritations when it's boiled down and swears it's effective for her skin). I breathed deep, and stood in awe and peace knowing that this is home.

Song of the Moment: Remaining for You by Elisapie Isaac

Day 289- Jan. 7- Lucy Etok

Lucy Etok is best described as a free spirited, fan girl. She is full of life, as evidenced by her smile in person (or if you don't know her in the attached photos). Lucy is Lydia's daughter (from yesterday's post). We met on stopovers in Montreal whenever I travel home to NS or back up north, and when she is off from her job at Raglan Mine, then we usually try to coordinate some type of plan.

She's joined in for music festivals, fancy dinners, walks around downtown, shopping and even sat through my most recent tattoo appointment. I like Lucy because she is authentic, she is fun loving and gets along with whoever I bring along on our excursions. I think that the TV show named 'I Love Lucy', must have known how adorable she was going to be once she entered the world! I don't know anyone who doesn't completely adore her!

Song of the Moment: To Live Forever by Dream Theater

Day 288- Jan. 6- Lydia Etok

 Lydia is one of the strongest women I know. Not just physical strength but she has an incredibly strong character and emotional side. I love spending time with her whenever I can, whether it be on her rare visits to GR or whether I am passing through Montreal.

Lydia grew up in George River but left long before I arrived. Her family is my GR family too. They, like her, are generous and strong. They look after one another and stand up for themselves simultaneously.

Lydia sacrifices herself for her loved ones immensely. She supports and looks after her family even when she is exhausted from a long day of work. She also is self-aware and makes efforts to look after her own needs too. I think she is an amazing role model for her daughter Lucy and has taught me a lot too about being open to life, taking advantage of the opportunities in front of me and not being scared of the results. She's challenged me on many an occasion to push myself.





I look forward to seeing her again soon, and hopefully someday taking a crazy road trip together with her! She has such a taste for embracing life that I think more people should have!!


Song of the Moment: 
After Hours by Coleman Hell

Day 287- Jan. 5- Véronique Dion-Roy

Véronique is a beautiful and warm human being. She is little in size, but takes up a huge amount of space with her passion and love for those she holds close to her. She has a drive to help people discover their strength, resilience and soul's desire. I'm not saying that her life is smooth sailing and perfect, but it is blessed because she embraces everything that is tossed into her path and finds a way to either get around it, climb over it, or deconstruct it so that it doesn't keep her stalled for long.



Véro is an inspiration to me, and helped bring another inspiring soul into my life, Jurian Hughes. I was having trouble in those days, struggling with who I was and what my soul wanted. I was crushed by the weight of the world around me and the opinions of others. I had lost a love and didn't know how I fit into the universes plan. I was on edge, unsettled and had very little self awareness.

In her role at the Health Board, she was able to help support a "Yoga in the Schools" training project for teachers. I attended that training and suddenly broke down as I stopped and forced myself to not avoid, but feel what was inside. That was a turning point for me on my path.

Since then I have spent time with her, sometimes staying in her home when I am stuck in Kuujjuaq for a couple nights. Her calming presence is palatable in her house. I cherish her and the awareness she helped me find.

Song of the Moment: Unarmed by Mariah McManus

Day 286- Jan. 4- Rio Diaz, Siasi and Shayla

I met this fine family by chance. I was in Kuujjuaraapik for work and was in major need of coffee one noon time. I had been told by my friend Eva that her sister's family had a corner store near the school, so I messaged her to ask how to find it and if she thought they'd be opened that lunch hour. She responded right away (thank god for cell phones and instant notifications), and gave me directions. As Elise and I entered the store, Rio popped out from the back and said, "Let me guess, Gillian?" Eva had messaged him that we were coming. He hooked us up with cappuchinos and chocolate and when we tried to pay, he insisted it was on the house this time since we were friends of Eva's.

When I came south for meetings the end of June, I met the rest of his adorable family. Shayla warmed up to me instantly and we became swimming buddies and Super Tock enemies. I love her enthusiasm and helpfulness. She loves swimming and sings a long to many songs, having memorized many lyrics from her road trips with Eva. 

Siasi is very welcoming and generous! She invited me over for pool parties and many meals in the short amount of time I spent in Montreal. She is a good person, very kind and soft spoken.

I enjoyed meeting them and spending time playing games, tanning on the hot evenings after the meetings and spending time with the kiddos poolside. This blog is all about the old friends, and new friends like this family, who I value in my life.

Song of the Moment: Trouble by Cage the Elephant

Day 285- Jan. 3- Ronnie Annanack

Ronnie Annanack is studying in the French secondary sector right now. I never taught him before but a few years ago, he joined the snowshoe team while I was still coaching. He's a rather shy guy and rarely said many words, but he was a strong runner. He liked to answer questions with opposite answers and laughed a lot when you'd get frustrated and needed a straight up response. He likes to tease!












During the tryouts for the Arctic Winter Games, I was the chaperone for the GR athletes. He made me laugh many times during the very long tiring weekend, as bad weather in Quaqtaq grounded our team in Kuujjuaq for an extra 2-3 nights. Honestly I barely remember much other than having 20 something kids, and the two other chaperones were 19 and 20 year old former students. We stayed in the Youth Centre, and had to schedule walks up to the arena to get showers, so that the stench of pre-pubesence could be washed away before the YC smelled too horribly. There were many instructions that I had to pass on to the kids from the event organizers and I'm sure they were just as tired of hearing me remind everyone to put their garbage away or to take off their outside shoes or to be back on time for curfew, as I was tired of hearing myself say it.

Ronnie had the funniest reaction, when ever I would ask him a question he'd just say, "blah blah blah". Most people would get pissed, but his comedic timing and the intonation he chose made me lighten up and laugh every time. I started to greet him with a blah blah blah, and it still sticks with us today.

I was shopping on oldnavy.com last year and even found a hat that said, "Blah blah blah" on it. and had to get it for him after a very long AWG tryouts trip. Ronnie is another example of the funny kids I know.

Song of the Moment: Encore by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Day 284- Jan. 2- Sherry Kerr and her boys, Rob, Jack, Liam and Charlie

My friendship with Sherry started in 1998, as she moved to Ottawa to start her career and I moved to the city for University. The story really begins with her husband, Rob, however.

Rob and I met on a prayer walk around the Ottawa U campus one Thursday night. I think I met Sherry that night too, but there were so many new faces that nothing stood out in my memory. Rob and I chatted a lot and he offered to give me a lift back to the university after young adults events since he knew transit was slow and he didn't want me to be on the buses with creepy folks so often.




Within a few weeks, we started to get to know Sherry and I could see some chemistry between the two of them. Rob continued to be the ultimate gentleman, and began offering to give Sherry a lift home too. Each time he'd drive all the way downtown to drop me, then back out to the west end to drop Sherry and then to the south where he lived. They were a cute couple, even if Sherry resisted to admit it at first.

 
Sherry and I began great friends. We shared apartments, went on road trips, shopped, hosted house parties, made amazing dinners and always seemed to be surrounded by amazing friends. Her family adopted me as one of their own and made me feel welcome whenever we had the chance to meet up.

The year after I left Ottawa for the north I received news that Sherry and Rob had finally admitted their connection and got engaged. I had the honour of standing up for them in their wedding.

Since that time, we don't have a lot of time together now, but anytime I am close to Ottawa or in Montreal, Sherry goes out of her way to either come see me or come get me and bring me back to her home for a visit with her and her boys.

I have really enjoyed watching the boys grow up. Jack was born first, he's technical, precise and thinks things through very systematically like his dad. He has a quirky sense of humour that I love and works hard to be precise.





Liam was the second to come along. He's a mix of tough and sensitive, he loves to prank and make people laugh, to take risks and has the most animated facial expressions. He is a bit stubborn, like his mom all the way.









Charlie was their third and was born a couple days before my visit one year. I don't remember what year it was but I remember messaging Sherry to ask whether she was really ready to have a visit from not just me, but also my friend Nancy, so soon after delivering Charlie. She said she absolutely wanted us to come and stay like every other year. Nancy loved cuddling Charlie and singing him songs in Inuktitut during nap time. He is a nice mix of both his brothers temperaments. He is sweet and sensitive like Liam, but also loves to tell stories about how things work like Jack.

I am fortunate to have friends like Sherry and her boys. They make it feel like time stand still and despite the geographical distance that separates us and infrequency of my visits, they welcome me with hugs and open arms.

I cherish my connection with Sherry even though we are so different- she is very fashionable and fancy, and I am simple and prize comfort. I despite that I know we will be lifelong friends. 










Song of the Moment: 
Take Me Up by Coleman Hell

Day 283- January 1: Eva Ilisituk

Eva. Where can I start? I love this woman to the core. I've known her for a few years as a result of her incredible talent at doing the challenging task of simultaneous interpretation for the school board. In the last three years, I have depended on her skills in trainings I was doing and others, I was coordinating, since more often than not our consultants are non-native Inuktitut speakers. I have an immense amount of respect for those who can do this. I often get mixed up just sorting out the words inside my own head let alone, speaking and listening at the same time without missing a beat- even during the odd moment that someone might use an analogy, describing themselves as the white creamy icing in the middle of an oreo cookie. But that's another story I prefer telling in person.




I was "on the road" this year past school year more than normal so that gave me the wonderful opportunity to spend more time than usual getting to know Eva. I learned that she has an eclectic taste in music, one that I wouldn't have expected had I not experienced it on a summer road trip and during a few commutes in Montreal during regional meetings. I expected her to be a top 40 fan, or maybe classic easy listening rock but when her playlist had Metallica on second and she sang along with as much enthusiasm as if it were a live show, I have to admit I was surprised and impressed. I have added many, many songs to my collection as a result of our friendship. I also had the wonderful pleasure of introducing her to my home province this summer. I am always inviting friends to visit but most have too much on the go or family to see in other regions, so it was nice to FINALLY have someone come for a visit. Having visitors from away means seeing everyday things with a new sense of appreciation and beauty. She helped me appreciate the smell of the mud flats or sea air, the darkness of the night sky and the scattering of stars that are more visible due to the ruralness of my hometown, the excitement of finding a blue piece of bottle glass on the shoreline, the sounds of the crackle of a campfire and the pop of a locally grown red wine bottle, the taste of lobster fresh from the sea at most a day earlier and the feeling of being front stage at a concert with a group who's songs you know how to sing a long to. Oh, and of course, helped me notice how many purple things exist in my immediate surroundings, hehehe.


In the middle of quite possibly my most busy summer to date, I had a holiday, I was able to break away mentally from the work that consumed my email and at times my mind. I am thankful for her friendship and free spirit, who was willing to travel to a place far from her home with very little planning, and choose adventures as we went. I might have known Eva for a few years, but I have now come to realize how special she is to me. I want to surround myself with people who like her, look after others needs above their own, who speak their mind even if it's not the popular opinion, who are strong and can take care of themselves and who are not afraid of connecting or doing whatever the heck they choose to do. She challenges me to wear more bright colours and not try to hide in black and grey all the time. She enjoys moments and small details. She takes selfies and burps when she drinks beer, she's real and doesn't spend any time apologizing for who she is. She's confident and independent and determined. She chews bubble gum while she drives and sings along to all the lyrics of the songs on her playlist like she wrote the songs herself. She loves scary movies and cuddling her sauniapikallapik or her furbabies at the end of a long day.



I have an incredible respect and love for Eva; I wish she lived closer so I could continue to improve my music collection on a more regular basis. I feel as though she has taught me a lot about myself and I wish her well as she continues to impact the other lives she touches through giving her time and her support to them generously. May you find what will make your heart and mind happiest.

Song of the Moment: Wish Song by Elisapie 
(Her blog highlight gets a bonus song on her post since we've shared a lot of music on road trips and commuting, so I also will share: Do You Wanna Know? by Arctic Monkeys)

Day 282- Dec. 31- Isabelle Parizeau

I met this woman through my participation in Arctic Winter Games originally. We had dinner together one night during the 2012 games in Yukon. The meal was efficient, like her, and as she explained that the had to cut things short because she still had many hours of work, I couldn't help but chime in my two cents. "Why can't you rest and take a night off to enjoy the good company you're in?" I did it somewhat jokingly, but I think it started us off on an interesting friendship, full of give and take, challenging one another's perspectives and giving each other new ideas.

We are very different, but in some ways I can related to Isabelle and see where she is coming from better than other people I think similarly to. She has taught me a lot of being critical and proactive, of how to be professional and what to consider before making a decision. I think I have also taught her things too, despite her having a much broader life experience and educational background.

A year or two ago, during a social meal during her visit to GR, we decided collectively to do the "True Colours" personality test. Just in the process of doing the test I could see how different we were, she was systematic, analytical and needed the process and steps to be followed in a clear and sensible way. I was actively making sure everyone felt good, understood well and were happy and having fun. Upon reading the results, the majority of the people around the table recognized themselves as "blue" and Isabelle right away wanted to understand why that was last place on her results. We joked that our goal for her was to make her more "blue". It became a theme to our discussions, if someone was expressing gratitude and she asked them to stop and hurry up, then we told her to be more blue, to tell us how she feels, to use adjectives more when communicating with us. It was a bit tongue and cheek at first but made for many heartfelt conversations. I've enjoyed our unlikely friendship immensely, not only has she taught me a lot about human relations and leadership, but she showed me how to make the most refreshing gin and tonic ever!!  I really look forward to hearing about all of her adventures and travels in the next years and re-connecting along the way.

Song of the Moment: Spirits by The Strumbellas 
(Izz, you missed this day at Osheaga, but I think you would have enjoyed this group a lot)