Sunday, October 8, 2007

Moss cakes and tundra lichen,

At a sharp 5:00 AM I was awaken by the sounds of footsteps, my friends rousing people out of bed as quietly as they could, and the blinding light of a camera from the Danish film crew. With a league of students together, we tiptoed into the boy’s bunkhouse and stood near Robert’s bed. Robert has been the alarm clock every morning for our entire journey! Each morning he flicks on the lights, clears his throat, and begins to shout “OH what a beautiful MORNING…. OHHH what a beautiful DAY! I’ve got a wonderful FEELING, Everything’s going…my way!” Today, it was OUR turn to be the alarm call! “I hate to get up in the MORNING! I’d rather remain in bed! I hate to get up in the morning, I’d much rather sleep instead!” We shouted this at the top of our lungs so loudly I could feel the buggy walls vibrating! We sang this a few times while parading back and forth between the bunkhouses and then headed back to sleep! Robert announced later that he greatly enjoyed his “wake up call.” He thought it demonstrated great leadership though he wasn’t too sure the rest of the teachers in the bunkhouse appreciated the experience as much as he did.

The morning started off with a bang as we gathered together to create and discuss our individual forward action plans. I know that mapping out what I want to do to make a difference when I come home will streamline my thinking, and make the action plan an attainable goal. Firstly, I will educate my peers and people around me. I would like to take as many opportunities as possible to create power points full of pictures of my experiences, share what I learned and it’s importance, and present ways that we can make a difference. There are individuals waiting for an opportunity to rise up and I would like to encourage them not to be afraid to change the world. Secondly, I would like to start a recycling program at my school for all types of products. I am eager to get in contact with companies that create recycled materials and ask for their input with the items that the school would recycle. I would like to promote the use of these materials in return for the hard work of my fellow students and staff. These ideas are only the beginning! They are the stepping-stones to retreats and leadership camps like Polar Bears International and I am excited to see how they will grow!

A case of the blues spread through the tundra lodge as we packed up our belongings and boarded the buggy for the last time. As we pulled away our eyes stayed glued to the windows watching the lodge slowly disappear and the tundra come into focus. Although it was difficult to think about leaving this incredible land and my newly formed friendships, I tried to imagine the experiences our group spent together on this adventure. These happy thoughts kept me going for the day and excited me for what lies ahead.

Once back in Churchill we headed over to the PBI house for dinner and an “Evening of Poetry and Music.” Before anyone read poems the students had a silly award presentation to give! Handing out packages labeled “Polar Bear Poop,” “Moose Muffins,” “Hacked-up-Hairballs,” “Elephant Emissions,” “Cheetah-Cha-Cha’s,” and many more, the facilitators and tundra buggy crew were entertained and all smiles.
I am so glad we had an opportunity to thank them individually for their incredible work this past week. The poetry session was fantastic! Bill Watkins wrote a wonderful (AND ACCURATE) poem about the students and teachers who attended camp. I thought I could bring a polar bear cub home unnoticed, but Bill knew I wanted to extend my menagerie! Looks like my secret is out…

As the plane wheels touched down on the tarmac in Winnipeg, I realized the adventure was coming to an end. We headed inside to grab our luggage and my parents were eager to meet all of my new friends! When it was time to leave and I began to say my goodbyes, the blues got the better of me. I’m not sure how many more opportunities I will have to spend in the same room with the same incredible students and facilitators, but I know that we share a common vision—Inspiring change through passion and awareness! I know I can count on you to keep me in check, remind what is important, and be an encouragement to continue on. I will be there to do the same for you. Thank you for being such a support system to me throughout this trip, you have made it truly enjoyable. Most of all, thank you for demonstrating what it means to be a true leader. You have dared to speak up, but you have also listened carefully to all sides of the situation. I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this irreplaceable experience.


I am looking forward to this next year with great anticipation. I am excited to go out and encourage those around me to get a dream and run with it. I am ready to step beyond my comfort zone and I want to continue putting my heart into all I say and do. I am ready to be the leader this camp has inspired me to be, to let my ideas flourish and grow and show others my passion. I want to touch lives around me, just as each and every one in PBI has blessed mine.

All my best in all your future endeavors
(GREAT BIG POLAR BEAR HUGS!)

5A (aka. Becky V.)

October 6, 2007

Snowy Owl Talons,

“Come with me kiddo…you ride shotgun!” I stepped in, put on my radio headset, and buckled in for the ride of my life!

“Hudson Helicopter C-F170 you are clear for take off…”My eyes widened with excitement as the helicopter rotor spun, and my stomach lurched from the vibration of the vehicle lifting off into the air. If you thought the flight into Churchill was exciting for me, know that the helicopter ride today has gone down as one of the best experiences of my life.

I was privileged to sit in the front of the aerocraft and had the most amazing view of the tundra. It stretched on endlessly, covered with lines of trees and water. The suns rays glistened as it reflected off of the bay. We saw three caribou gather near a stream for some water—a rare treat on the tundra at this time of the year.

When the aerocraft landed, I opened the door to stand on the tundra’s mossy floor (often referred to as “moss cakes”). A fresh layer of snow blanketed the lichen, and newly formed frost covered the trees. We played in the snow, throwing handfuls of it at each other and building snowmen. It looked like a bunch of siblings having some friendly warfare at a big family gathering!

Today we had the opportunity to visit a polar bear maternal den. This den is cleared out and checked for polar bears annually. When it was my turn to enter excitement ran through me from the tips of my fingers to the tops of my toes! I donned a headlamp, crouched down, and crawled in. It was very damp and cool and had an “earthy” scent. I imagined myself as a polar bear while I crawled from the first part of the den to an open space where the mom and her cubs would lay. As I reached the end there was enough room for me to curl up and let the experience sink in. I envisioned a few cubs, fallen fast asleep on their mother’s shoulders, wrapped up near her thick white coat, toasty and warm. They were safe in the den, protected from the howling winds and the cold. Crawling back out into the sunshine I realized I was covered head to toe in wet mud. It was then that I felt I had successfully completed my role as ‘mother bear!’ I bet when I get home I won’t want to wash those jeans…

After departing the helicopter and thanking the pilot for an irreplaceable morning we drove back to the lodge to embark on another important task. We gathered ourselves and spread out on the floor. Charlotte, a facilitator, walked us through our journey. We imagined each vivid scene, some harder than others…like going home. We pictured each moment on a billboard and as we approached the last one it was blank. “What goes on that billboard is up to you to decide. You will have a vision, and you will go out from this camp as an ambassador. The picture on that billboard is up to you.” From there, each student was asked to sum up what they want to do in the future, as an ambassador for the arctic. In one sentence we were to speak it outloud to the group. I said,”I WILL educate, because it is the key to arouse interest, encourage conversation, inspire action and kindle long term commitment to problem solving.” This was such a heartfelt activity most of us broke into tears. It is a good thing the group was open to hugs, even with our red noses and teary eyes. I am proud to say that as a group our vision is to “Inspire change through passion and awareness!”

Earlier this morning the adults had asked each student an individual question. It was a “mock press conference.” Carolyn asked me “How has camp changed you? And what would you improve?” I know I am not the same person now as I was when camp started. A week ago, I was fairly quiet and didn’t think my questions and opinions had the same purpose and effect as the other students. When the facilitators allowed the “sub-adults” (as they like to call us) to take over and LEAD our own camp, I felt like I came out of a box! I was encouraged to speak up and speak out, and the other students embraced that development in me. I am so glad for this change because I know that my leadership is important! My spirit resonates with E.E Hale who said, “I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” It is time to elevate to the challenge and pass on this torch of leadership to my fellow peers. I have had the time of my life on this exciting adventure! You have been so welcoming, accommodating and delightful to talk and work with. Thank you for this once in a lifetime adventure…I would not change a single bit!

Lastly, Captain showed us a beautiful power point presentation of pictures that captured the beauty and vastness of the tundra and its wildlife. The evening ended as we sat together singing and remembering our journey from start to finish.

Enormous Polar Bear Hugs,

Beckaroni

Friday, October 5, 2007

Arctic Char Fins!

Cooking breakfast wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. My team and I found a “fruit goldmine” and served oranges, bananas, apples and raspberries with pancakes.

The past few days have been run entirely by the students. It has been great to go from “being led” to “leading” the activities and scheduling the days on our own. It has been an excellent way to learn what it means to take on a position of headship and I have watched each of the students, and myself grow in this area.

We began our morning with a presentation of assigned chapters in “Impacts of a Warming Arctic.” My group presented “The Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation” to a group of peers. It was interesting to try and come up with an effective way to present the material and we decided to use “teenage conversation” within a drama performance. We ended up rearranging Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and “Macbeth” to sonnets of the effects of UV rays! It was a lot of fun and our peers laughed, proving it was a success!

We gave our second videoconference this afternoon to a group of grade five students. It was a bit of a different set up, as we lost internet connection that morning. However, through incredible teamwork we came up with a solution allowing us answer all of the kids questions! It was the highlight of my afternoon!

With the hard work of the morning behind us, we set out on the tundra buggy for some down time and polar bear watching. It was a delightful way to “cool down” after all the excitement, and I am always up for a chance to visit with the polar bears (Well, IN the Tundra Buggy of course)!

When we arrived back to the lodge, Bill, from Conservation Manitoba, gave an excellent presentation on why we should care about endangered species! It was encouraging to our group to move on with forward action and get out of our comfort zone!

The evening ended with my group cooking a “Tundra Buggy Extraordinaire” dinner! We took on the role of aeroplane pilots aboard “Bumpy Air!” It was a lot of fun announcing that you weren’t allowed to “voluntarily de-board” the aerocraft due to the polar bears outside the window! To make a lasting impact, Captain stood on top of the Tundra Buggy and jumped as the steward service stood up and announced “Buckle your seatbelts we are now experiencing turbulence!” We were all very proud and had a blast putting on a show for our peers!
Looking forward to HELICOPTER RIDES tomorrow with GREAT EXCITEMENT!

HUGE polar bear hugs!

The Beckinator

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Tundra “Tails!”

I can’t decide if it was the constant beat of the rain on my window, or Robert singing, “OH, IT’S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING,” that woke me up more abruptly today. I had resisted throwing back the warm covers for as long as possible and slowly climbed down the bunk ladder straight into a puddle of water. I attempted to wake myself up by locating where the leak had started. As I stumbled upon the door (LITERALLY), I realized the rainwater was coming in around the seal. Feeling that I had done some challenging investigative work, my wet feet and I set off for breakfast.

Today we had an opportunity to speak to a grade four class in Selkirk, Manitoba by videoconference. Leadership means that I will be able to inspire, empower and motivate others, which is why this videoconference was an important part of our trip. It was very exciting to have the kids ask questions about arctic animals, the north and polar bears! They were a very attentive audience (And CUTE). They asked some very good questions and our leadership group was absolutely enthralled to answer them! I am very excited for our second videoconference tomorrow.

Frank, director of a national park in Denmark, showed us two videos of his wildlife facility. His presentation “knocked all of our socks off.” The park is absolutely incredible. I watched the polar bears play, swim and walk around wherever they pleased. Here is an amazing example of someone whose heart allowed him to tread past what others deemed “impossible” to accomplish a dream! I really enjoyed his presentation.

Stacey, a facilitator from Australia, taught us the chemistry behind the Northern Lights! It was a great reminder lesson, especially after the brilliant hues that flew across the sky last evening.

We are in the midst of what seems to be a “Charade-Off.” It looks quite interesting, and I think I will go join the fun! I also think that I am on “cooking duty” tomorrow (I just imagine my mom cringing at this)! Pancakes shouldn’t be too hard…I HOPE!

Fuzzy Polar Bear Hugs,

Becktoria

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Caribou Hooves and Ringed Seal Whiskers,

Yesterday evening was spectacular! I was privileged to speak with some trappers from the area. They gave a wonderful presentation with visuals of furs they had created. I learned that these trappers have an incredible respect from the land. They take only what they need, and give back to the land by keeping the trapping area clean and studying the animals, animal behaviours and populations. It was an inspiring message that encouraged me to respect the earth for the resources it provides for me. I have also been waiting for a long time to try “northern food.” So, there I was last evening, chewing on some bannock and moose that Betty, one of the trappers, cooked for us. It was amazing because it had better flavour than any meat I’ve eaten.

I woke up this morning with the sun shining brightly into the lodge. It lit up the sky, and illuminated the landscape. As I walked into the kitchen I noticed a polar bear sitting outside the window, curled up with his head in his paws and fast asleep! It was one of those “Kodak moments.”

Mike Goodyear, from the Churchill Research Centre, was the guest speaker before lunch. He spoke of the importance of ringed seal to the arctic ecosystem. These seals are an important part of the polar bear diet and the Inuit community. It was a very interesting presentation and I am glad we had the opportunity to hear about the biology aspect of Northern research.

The gorgeous day allowed us two trips out on the Tundra Buggy! The first was to closely examine a sleepy polar bear. Like the last bear, he was curled up with his head propped up on a rock. It seemed that we were not the only ones enjoying the sunshine…

Our second trip not only allowed us to observe the wildlife in the area, but take a trip up to Gordon Point to capture some pictures and stretch our legs. It felt AMAZING to step off the vehicle and take my first actual steps on the arctic tundra! I had a lot of fun walking around examining the different types of lichen and mosses that covered the ground. I dug out some muscles from the lichens and examined their contents (You know you’ve met a NERD when…). It has surprised me again and again that there are beautiful plants that thrive out in this harsh climate and I love to just sit and soak up the beauty in the tundra’s landscape. Besides the polar bears, I saw arctic hares, ptarmigans, a muskrat, arctic birds, a caribou and I watched a little arctic fox scurry across the tundra from the buggy window!

This experience has been extremely rewarding! Thank you to my friends and family who have been so supportive of my adventures and take time to read my blogs (I know, I’m excited and I write a lot)! Thank you also to Eric Loring, who has helped me develop a passion and heart for the North and Northern Communities. I am having the time of my life out here!

The Northern Lights are flickering bright greens, reds, oranges, purples and pinks across the windows…my “kodak moment” morning has become a picture perfect evening as well…

Gigantic Polar Bear Hugs,
Beckysauras

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Greetings from the land of the caribou,

It has been particularly windy today! We did not go out on the tundra buggy but had plenty of fun despite the weather.

The Tundra Buggy Lodge reminds me of a cabin near the lake. The bunks are made of wood, the bathrooms have that distinct “cottage” smell to it (No, we are not mass producing “global warming gas” in the middle of the tundra), and there are plenty of windows. Yes, the tundra lodge DOES have monster wheels, but there are many similarities between the lodge and a cottage. We are located at the grand “middle of nowhere” completely surrounded by the land, Hudson Bay, and wildlife. It is absolutely wonderful!

Our task today was to “pick apart” different chapters in our Climate Assessment Book (Impacts of a Warming Arctic), and educate the rest of the students. We were divided into groups and asked to present these to “potential audiences.” My group chose to speak on the impacts of climate change to Indigenous Communities with a group of senior citizens as our audience. This is an area that I hold very close to my heart, and I am pleased I had a chance to present one of my passions at Leadership Camp. Overall the group presentations were spectacular and we will continue preparing for our videoconference on Friday (ROO-HOO!) and for further presentations to our teachers, businessmen and women, and our peers. This camp has been focusing on preparing us to go out into the world as Arctic Ambassadors. I know that the knowledge we are receiving here is a stepping-stone to further rise up and meet that challenge!

In the middle of the last presentation (And it just happened to be my groups), Robert said, “I hate to interrupt but there’s a polar bear out that window.” I don’t know what you would do, but I certainly dropped everything (Except my moms camera) and scurried over to the window as fast as my little feet could carry me (which is pretty fast considering I’m only a size 5 in shoes). The polar bear was pretty dirty…a great indicator that she had been rolling in tundra mud. She walked back and forth under the tundra buggy, stopping a few times to stand up against the lodge and stare at her visitors. She seemed to like attention, seeing as she moved closer to the Danish film crew when they started shooting. Even as I am journaling to you, both she and another bear are sitting out the window.

Even when it is cloudy and raining there is no end to sightseeing! I think we will be off exploring tomorrow, so stay tuned for more “tundra tales.”

Giant Polar Bear Hugs,

Becko the Gecko

October 1, 2007’
(Co-written by Emily)

Polar bear paws and arctic “hairs,”

Before I go telling you all about the day I must say a HUMONGOUS thank you to all my teachers who have been so excited for me to have this experience. Thank you for your flexibility and encouragement! I cannot replace your support and I am very thankful for each and every one of you! You have helped make this a once in a lifetime experience!

Today was the beginning of our tundra adventure. I excitedly packed up my belongings and left the Tundra Inn for an incredible breakfast at a local restaurant, Gypsies. It was a wonderful way to start the morning, especially because I had gone to bed watching the Northern Lights dance across the sky the evening before.

Once boarded on the “Transportation-to-the-Tundra-Buggy-Bus” we started a tour of the greater Churchill area. Our first stop was the Polar Bear Compound (Otherwise known as the polar bear jail). This facility holds bears that could possibly pose a threat to town communities until they can be relocated. The record number of bears the compound has held is 170! Currently eight bears are in hold.


Our next stop was an old laboratory. A number of tests on animals were performed here in the 1970's including covering a polar bear in oil to see how it would react. They found the polar bear licked at the sticky mess in its fur, ingested chemicals in the oil, and died. This led to a discussion on whether this type of testing was an acceptable or unacceptable way to discover actions or ecology of animals. Some answered that it was inappropriate way to perform experimentation on animals, where others believed this was an example of using results of one test to educate the public.

We also visited the local garbage dump. The dump has been in use for two years and it is already filled halfway. Many people do not realize that their garbage actually has to go somewhere. Waste doesn’t just disappear. It was very eye opening to see this firsthand.

Our final stop in Churchill was the “Wapusk National Park” interpretive centre. Wapusk is Cree for “Polar Bear.” Our group was shown a presentation of the parks area, history and importance. I learned that because the Wapusk contains the Hudson-James-Lowland region it is the “canary in the mine” for what kind of environmental changes happen in regions further north.

At the loading docks we filled up the Tundra Buggy! The Buggy stands about nine feet off of the ground! It felt incredible to be so high off the ground without aid of wings! While on our way to the Lodge (where we will be living this week), we spotted a flock of fuzzy-toed willow ptarmigan, a fluffy arctic hare, a peregrine falcon, a juvenile bald eagle and an arctic caribou! Just when I thought the sight seeing was over a large white visitor popped up his head. It was like a herd of elephants stampeding to the window when the Captain (our buggy driver) announced our first polar bear was spotted! Excitement ran through our group as photos were rapidly snapped! The adventure did not end there though…another furry, white visitor awaited us at the lodge! Standing out the back of the Tundra Buggy is a unique experience. It allows you to get a close look at the wildlife that is visiting. This evening the polar bear stood up and leaned against the buggy as he curiously sniffed out his surroundings. My friend, Eric Loring, who was a mentor to me while researching dioxins in the Canadian arctic, warned me not to take pictures of polar bears with seal meat in my backpack! I won’t be taking polar bear treats with me anytime soon, but I am very excited to see these creatures up close!

Today was only our first day exploring the land and we have seen so much wildlife! I cannot wait to see what the rest of this week has in store! I will have many more “tales from the tundra” to share with you!!

Humongous Wapusk (polar bear) Hugs,

Elle-Becky-O

Sunday September 30, 2007

Ptarmigan toes and furry fox feet!


Well, I did NOT drag myself out of bed this morning! I was ready to board that aeroplane and head up to our home away from home, Churchill. As you know, I love aeroplanes! You can probably imagine my expression as we were taking off into the air (A few of my friends were quite amused). Between my love of flying and the excitement of traveling up North, I’d say my morning was pure bliss!

When the pilot announced we’d began our descent my face was glued to the plane window. The “tundra” is very barren, although I did see a lot of evergreen trees. I was told long before I came that the cold temperature wouldn’t affect me, but the wind would (I guess living in Canada some can safely assume I completely understand COLD). When I stepped out of the aeroplane I immediately knew that was true. The wind was chilly enough to make me want to don my moms thick alpaca sweater, wrap myself in a big goose down blanket, and curl up by a toasty-warm fire.

Although a little breezy, the weather didn’t stop my adventurousness! Our town tour, led by a student who lives in Churchill, was fabulous. Churchill is a small town and I loved it instantly since it had such an “outdoorsy” nature to it. We had a beautiful view of the Churchill River, the granary, and even some town Inookshuks (These are like rock totems). My favourite part of the day, besides flying, was visiting Hudson Bay. I stuck my hand in the ice-cold water and just as I turned around to listen to some instructions the waves washed up over my feet (BRR…cold)! It’s funny that we had not been in Churchill more than thirty minutes when an officer brought us a polar bear warning. The polar bear was half a mile down the bay from our group and heading in our direction. It is very important, for both the bears and our own safety, that we respect the polar bears and keep our distance. We then quickly headed to the Churchill Complex, which contains a school, playground and library. It had some beautiful and traditional artwork and photographs.


Today was incredible! I am enjoying this experience immensely and I am excited to climb into the Tundra Buggy tomorrow for yet another adventure!

Nendi Salami and HUGE bear hugs,
Bekah

Saturday September 29, 2007

Greetings and Snowy Salutations
(Ok, so we’re all still in Winnipeg and the snow hasn’t arrived…YET).

The Alarm buzzed at an early 7:00 AM, allowing me just enough time to roll back the covers (rather slowly, to be honest), get ready, and head downstairs to the hotel meeting room for breakfast and presentations.

An astounding photographer, Robert Taylor, was our guest speaker this morning. He presented personal tales from the arctic to go along with his incredible photography. The arctic flora and fauna were absolutely breathtaking! I have been anticipating this northern adventure all week and seeing his personal pictures makes me even more excited for the week ahead!

Our afternoon was spent in downtown Winnipeg, the forks and the zoo. Among all the zoo animals, I realized just how many varieties of birds Manitoba has! After exploring, our group discussed whether captivity is an acceptable solution for keeping animals. There was a wide range of viewpoints extending from it being unhealthy to take animals out of their natural habitat, to captivity being an important aspect of education to the public about the creatures in the zoo. It was interesting to hear what exhibits in the zoos of Denmark, Australia, and the USA are like compared to Canada’s conditions and what kind of zoo keeping programs are being used to educate the zoos’ visitors. It was also exciting to hear the thoughts of other students, teachers and even those working in biology, zoology, and conservation.

It was a fantastic day to be outside and I am ecstatically looking forward to flying out to Churchill tomorrow morning. Until then I will be watching the aeroplanes take off and land from my hotel window (I DID say I want my pilots license).

Great big bear hugs,
Becky