Intro

July 2008 I was enjoying a good ol Valley summer in Kentville, N.S. I had just returned from a year in Dublin and was contemplating my next move. Australia, South/Central America, more of Europe... Then the dreaded student loan reality kicked in and I decided to apply for teaching jobs in Northern Canada.

Mid August I heard back from a number of schools and took the first official offer. Thankfully that was this lovely hamlet on Baffin Island called Clyde River. Population roughly 1200 comprising of mainly Inuit families with a few qalunaat (KA-LU-NAA, or people from the south).

I had a little over 2 weeks to prepare for my move above the Arctic Circle. This literally was like planning for a 10 month camping trip. I made many lists and visits to Costco and Wal-Mart. It was both strange and exciting to try to imagine life without cars, shopping centres and highways. Clyde is accessible only by plane or a few days on a Ski-Doo. Oh so different from life among the Irish!

Halifax-Ottawa (overnight)- Iqaluit-Clyde River. I was quite familiar with flitting through airports. However my 8 ginormous suitcases filled with just about any and everything demanded some creativity along the way.