tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post8570881897033512301..comments2023-09-26T06:12:52.814-07:00Comments on My Nunavut Adventure: The White WayMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-60685456205743522702011-05-07T11:40:19.796-07:002011-05-07T11:40:19.796-07:00Inuusira, you have no idea how much your words mea...Inuusira, you have no idea how much your words mean to me. Thank you for your understanding and for sharing your thoughts with me. Sometimes I get so carried away with specific stories that I forget the way people might read it, not knowing the back story behind my intentions and love for this City and these people and this experience. Qujannamiik.<br /><br />Lilian, you are exactly right. I understand what you mean and it defines the way I feel. There is a sense of being torn in two directions. Living here I know I can fade in and blend, I know the ways of life around here fairly well, and am less and less surprised by things each day. I try not to mesh too much though. I actually remind myself sometimes to embrace the fact that I am an outsider because it causes me to veiw things differently and heightens the experience for me. It allows me to embrace things that should surprise and inspire and change me and my views. The outcome is bitter sweet.<br /><br />Smitten Kitten, I am so glad to hear about your experience and glad to hear that you've embarked on a similar adventure. Quite the experience huh? Thanks for reading. Let me know how things go for you!<br /><br />Anonymous, I'm not sure if you'll be back to read this but I know how it feels to be looking for information on this life when it's so hard to find. I just wanted to give a little bit of advice. I admire your plan to wing it, what an inspired way to live! However, Nunavut is a scary place to do so. Housing here is very expensive to buy and even harder on the bank to rent. I have friends in a two bedroom apartment who pay $3000 a month in rent. If you or your girlfriend can find a government job or a job that comes with housing, I would certainly advise it. There are tons of jobs on the internet, even if it was temporary until you found a better situation. It also costs a lot of money to get out of Nunavut, should you decide its not for you. Flights from Iqaluit to Ottawa for example, usually run just under a thousand dollars a person, one way. If your savings is substantial and you are a gambler then I wish you all the luck in the world. This Territory is unforgettable, breathtaking and you would never regret seeing it for yourself. As far as opening businesses, I dont know much about the details behind liscensing or planning but no matter where you go in Nunavut im sure you could create a business plan to succeed. You will find for many industries, there is not much competition in the north. Through word of mouth you would be well advertised. I could see finding retail property to rent might be tricky but then again, people run businesses out of their homes here so depending on your ideas, you might find some fairly good odds of succeeding. <br /><br />Stacey, thank you, you're right. All I want is for these sweet girls to love themselves and be loved. I'll see you in 41 days. AakalukMelissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17540354858771178954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-89045209673597822922011-04-17T12:46:56.184-07:002011-04-17T12:46:56.184-07:00From what I read of this post I imagine there were...From what I read of this post I imagine there were people who did not understand your previous post. I know that you write from the heart and that in no way would you disrespect another culture. <br /><br />Sometimes it is difficult not to give advice to others. Your words to the young 16 year old were said out of love. I am not sure it's a "White Way", the right way or the wrong advice, but I do know that the important message is to love thy self and expect nothing less from others.<br /><br />Missing you. See you in....60 days or so?Staceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11411263093156903329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-81663155730070313392011-04-15T10:42:18.687-07:002011-04-15T10:42:18.687-07:00This comment go to smitten kittenes:
So my girlfri...This comment go to smitten kittenes:<br />So my girlfriend and I have been looking into moving to Nunavut for the past year; it was just a thought but recently we have decided that it is what we will do. Since you're new in Nunavut Smitten Kittens, what would you recomment for us to prepare with. I mean i dont have a job waiting for me or my gf. We want to just take off with the savings we have and basically just risk it. Also if i was looking into opening a business, what sort of things are needed there that are hard to find. I would appreciate any suggestions you or anyone else would have for me. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-6961593454124293262011-04-14T17:22:10.668-07:002011-04-14T17:22:10.668-07:00I arrived in Nunavut 6 weeks ago. I was looking to...I arrived in Nunavut 6 weeks ago. I was looking to get away from the big city, looking to embrace a different approach to life. <br /><br />In my short time here I have felt your pain, but have also been met with welcome. <br /><br />Just last week one of the elders told me that I was so very welcome in the community. Since, I have kept that with me every day.<br /><br />Your blog is fantastic. It's refreshing to read something real and true to the heart. Keep your head high & good luck on your adventure!smitten kittenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13736106313695931572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-84206570982995474202011-04-14T06:00:36.824-07:002011-04-14T06:00:36.824-07:00It's hard to be an outsider. You're brave ...It's hard to be an outsider. You're brave to put yourself in that situation. It's more complicated by the fact that you're an outsider where you are but an insider in the bigger picture. Awe and inspiration are good qualities. At the same time, they are symptomatic of that outsider/insider status and so people are reacting not just to what you say but the very fact that it announces who you are and where you're from. Does that make sense to you?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880350625039235252.post-8852333911466340772011-04-13T19:36:39.625-07:002011-04-13T19:36:39.625-07:00You are right, in that for how you write it comes ...You are right, in that for how you write it comes out as sounding you want Inuit to live the way you feel is right; and you have to understand that in this culture, it will be taken, as I have, in a strong, retalitory way. But, you do come back to explain yourself and the comparison you want understood between these 2 different worlds. For that I embrace you and want to thank you too for reminding me that for the respect that we try so hard to ask for has to be reciprocated as well. This is what my Inuk parents have tried so hard to teach me and my siblings, despite the hardships of their time growing up. I feel that I am one of the privileged few who is compensated well within my profession; but still am tied strongly to my Inuk blood and verociously defend the way of life that was so shamelessly seen as unfit, underclass, savage and downright non-deserving of any respect. It is all so un-material, this life, what we call Inuusivut - our life. But at the same time it is. This modern life that we are in today is so mixed - the way of life as it were and the way of life it is now, that is the mix that you see. Welcome to Iqaluit and I hope that you embrace and accept Inuusivut and that we give you the experience that you so desire. Taima.Inuusiranoreply@blogger.com