Christina Esau

Christina Esau participated in the first Arctic Youth Leadership Expedition in 2004. She is continuing to develop herself academically, culturally, socially and is an asset within the community. Christina was the youngest participant on the 2004 Arctic Youth Leadership Expedition and has since embodied our slogan of "building skills, strengths and successes" for herself and in her community of Sachs Harbour through volunteer work in many avenues. She sent the following letter as a reflection on her experience with the Arctic Youth Leadership program and how her participation in it has positively impacted her life.

"Being a part of the first Arctic Youth Leadership program was the start of my travels. Being able to be a part of that trip helped me in many ways. It widened my horizon on everything; it made me want to learn more, new experiences and meeting new people and exploring new places.

This experience was life changing for me and I believe for every other youth that has taken this wonderful paddling trip it is too. It helps you physically and mentally, it helps you find who you are. This trip made me a stronger person, and in body, mind and soul. It helps you deal with situations of any sort, believe me this trip teaches you so much about life.

This experience changed my life in the best possible ways. I really can't see how I would be today if I never took this experience. It has helped me grow up and form in to my own person. I became a role model for taking the opportunities that have come my way, and this trip is one GREAT opportunity. I encourage friends and family to sign up and try it.

Those two weeks of my life were the most knowledgeable, fun and exciting time of my life so far. The memories I have and the friends I met will be with me forever!"

In 2008, Christina was selected as a Youth Ambassador for both the Arctic Winter Games, and the North American Indigenous Games. In both of these events, she not only represented the Northwest Territories but also the Inuvialuit. This year, Christina was awarded support from the Arctic Youth Leadership Alumni Program to attend the 2009 Youth Challenge International program in Costa Rica, where she contributed to local community development initiatives. While in Costa Rica, she wrote this letter describing her experiences.

Now that I'm comfortable with the people in my Costa Rican group I feel more confident in speaking my mind and voicing my opinions, even about the problems experienced while living, eating and working with the fourteen other young adults from around Canada.

It is only two weeks into this trip and I have grown into an individual that's more confident and independent in everything I do and everything I say. I'm here on this trip, where the other young people are in university getting their Masters, dedicated and chasing their dreams - they inspired me as a high school graduate. I needed that outlook on life, that boost in reality - knowing that I can do anything in life.

It also made me realize how many benefits I have and made me appreciate everything I have so much more. Not just the stories they told about how they have to pay their tuition and fees in school, when I get it free, but I also appreciate my home and how easy it is to get a home. After seeing the homes of the families that I became close with, it made me want to work harder in life for the things I get. Their homes are just four walls and a metal roof, it's just as nice as most warehouses I see outside people's homes here in Canada.

They really inspired me - even though their homes are not very nice and they have to wake up every morning at sunrise and work for couple hours on their farm, then go to school and go back home and work more - when you see them, they are the happiest people you could meet. You would never know their poor living conditions and the problems they face every day. But that that does not bother them. And that's what I loved about being there - no matter the problems they have, they are enjoying life each and every day.

I made friends I will never forget. I didn't know much Spanish, but we can still communicate, not with talk but with body language. Imagine me, this little girl from Sachs Harbour, Banks Island - from the top of the world where there are no trees and it is winter half the year - going to Costa Rica and being in the jungle. Seeing monkeys and all these different animals, bugs and plants was refreshing, an amazing experience. I was so scared the first week. But now I call the people I met my amigos (friends).

Five weeks was too short of time to learn as much I wanted to. It's like I borrowed ONE book from their entire library. If I had the money I would have loved to stay longer and learn everything about their culture, staying in the community and living there as one of them. Someday I'll go back and see my Costa Rican family. Till then I'll just be writing letters and sending pictures.

This trip has helped me grow so much. Before I came here I was scared to speak my mind, I was shy to show my talent and embarrassed to make mistakes. Now I am confident in most things I do and I'm not scared to put my piece of mind out there. That is the only way I will learn and grow to be strong and successful out there in this big world. I'll have this knowledge to pass on to the youth and young adults in my community and region, and I'm excited to start to share that.

This trip has truly changed my life in the best ways possible.

Christina has returned from Costa Rica, to attend the Youth Challenge International program, where she contributed to local community development initiatives, and following is her return letter. With your support, we were able to help send her to Costa Rica, and there she connected with her true self, put all the pieces she had been learning together and to use, found her voice and her motivation. We are eager to work with Christina, setting up speaking engagements with local youth, educators and community groups. As well, we will assist her in connecting with people who can support her career and life aspirations. I hope you are moved by her letters as deeply we are at AYL, and that you know that your support is making a huge difference one life at a time.

Now that I'm home, I feel I should be getting involved with the people, not that I should but I want to. I want to be the person who helps the youth with the things they are doing; I always wanted to do this. I don't know what was stopping me before, but now I'm ready, I'm ready to be that role model I always wanted to be, not just for me, but for my younger sisters, and family, and the community.

I know these good people back home with dreams they are scared to reach for. I'm going to be there to help and support them; and help the youth, even if that means opening my own home to accomplish it. I want them to experience the things I experienced and get the feeling of life and the wonderful things it brings.

I know these are big words, but we all have to have big words and dreams; something to reach for that you love, the feeling of life and the people you met and the bonds you make with friends. I think all the best things in life don't have a price, and I learned that in Costa Rica. They don't care about the fancy things in life - but the feeling they feel each day in life. They truly live each day like it is their last. They live like they have nothing to worry about. I miss that energy they gave off and the laughs we had till our belly hurt.

I miss Costa Rica so much. I'm not going to lie - I cried the first few days I came home. I felt so alone after living with 14 people and always having someone to talk to about anything - about the things in life and the experiences we all faced - and the heated conversations about the world's problems. I miss walking to work and hearing all the wild life and the seeing the beautiful sights. Pushing myself physically at work and playing soccer every day was exhilarating. I can't wait to get their letters and see how they're doing.