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Expedition Update: Ottawa, Ontario
Welcome to the first day of the IPY Arctic Expedition Youth Expedition 2007!
Today is travel day for the majority of our participants. Students, chaperones, educators, scientists, expedition staff - all are en route to Ottawa - travelling from as far away as China, India, Sweden, Germany, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, United Kingdom, and the USA.
And so far, the day has gone very smoothly, with no delays or missed flights or missed connections. Everyone is well & happy!
For our students, this journey began months or even years ago. The stories of how everyone has come to be a part of this expedition are as diverse as they are fascinating and inspiring. Some students have been doing endless fundraising. Some have won contests or scholarships organized by various groups or governments. Some have been selected and sponsored to participate through various programs around the world. It is great to finally put faces to names after so many months of preparation. It is fascinating to see how dreams can and do come to fruition.
This afternoon and evening, students will have the opportunity to check into their rooms at Leeds House (Carleton University), meet with the staff and expedition team members. For our early birds who arrived this a.m. they had a bit of tour of downtown Ottawa - Canada's capital.
Tonight we will have a big dinner in a campus restaurant, followed by plenty of 'ice-breaker' activities and a welcome briefing with all participants and staff!
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STUDENT JOURNALS
From: Neha Thacker
The first day with this enormous group of people, from all parts of the world, China, Korea, Russia, Canada, Germany, USA, is just so fascinating. It’s extremely thrilling to get into the mood of going to the arctic.
All day long students, scientists and chaperones have come in from everywhere. We’re staying at Leeds House at the Carleton University, Ottawa. Those who arrived early went on a brief downtown Ottawa tour. We saw a few sites like the Bytown Museum and the first ‘pedestrians only’ street in Ottawa. Isn’t that cool?
As more expeditioners arrived I got to know who is from where, their age etc. I just happened to remember my Antarctica expedition back in 2005 and the way I cried at the end of it because SOI became my family and all those expeditioners my best friends. Students On Ice is very important to me. It’s not just an institution; it kick started my life, getting me to think all that I should about the environment. I would have never done that without its presence.
Coming back to our day, we had an early supper followed by our first official briefing and introduction of the team. With each line being said by Geoff regarding our expedition I had these weird butterflies in my tummy. In fact, I think all of us are getting anxious to get on to the vessel and feel the vibes of getting to the arctic.
Dave had us playing some silly but funny games to bring a sense of informality between all of us. Students on Ice has got all elements; we don’t just study all the time. I am also getting to know great people from all over the world; geologists to marine experts even Nobel peace prize winners, which is otherwise impossible. Tomorrow we will be going to the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa where we will have a launch ceremony after which we expeditioners are going to geared up for the ARCTIC.
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 From: Anne Aubin
How can I explain this incredible experience in a simple way? The first thing that comes to mind is UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING! I have never met a group of people who were so open to meeting others. And that is just the first day! When I got here at around five p.m. there were already a bunch of people here that were bustling around getting settled in. I got myself set up in my room and then ventured out to meet people. I am usually quite timid around new people but the second I said hello people were all interested in knowing things about me just as much as I was about them.
Students On Ice is great in every sense but, most importantly, you don’t have to be afraid to be yourself. We went to dinner and then went to the lecture hall to have the first formal introduction and a quick and interesting briefing on what we would expect on this expedition. Afterwards, we went outside and did some activities that helped us get to know each other a little better. The real introduction will be tomorrow night when everyone has arrived. Well, I’d better wrap this up because curfew is soon and I want to get rest so I can enjoy how amazing tomorrow will be. Good night and hope you keep following along with our expedition to…..THE ARCTIC!!!
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From: Connor Jessup
Hello Readers,
My name is Connor Jessup; I’m 13 years old from Toronto, Ontario. I am about to embark on a 2 week scientific expedition to the Canadian arctic.
For about a year now I have been learning as much as I can about global warming because I love everything about our environment. I put together a PowerPoint presentation and have presented it to over a thousand students.
Last November I was told of a group called Students On Ice that takes students from around the world to the Arctic and Antarctic. I sent in my application form and a few months later heard that I had been accepted to participate in the August 2nd – 17th expedition to the Arctic. I can’t believe that I am a mere day away from boarding an icebreaker ship and sailing for 2 full weeks! The trip will be investigating climate change, wildlife, and more in the region around Baffin Island.
I arrived at Carlton University this afternoon for a 2 day kick off event in Canada’s Capital. I got to meet my fellow student expeditioners and all of the staff composed of scientists, teachers, and reporters. I am bursting with excitement and can’t wait for what the future might hold. We have been told that we are going to tour Parliament Hill and visit the Museum of Nature tomorrow before leaving early Saturday morning to fly to Churchill, Manitoba Check on my blog for daily updates of what I am sure will be a fantastic trip. I will post a few pictures and hopefully have some entertaining stories to write about.
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From Phillip Iatrdis
Today was the first day that students started to arrive from all over the world. It’s amazing how spread out our home countries and towns are. We have people from Siberia, India, Tasmania, China, the U.S., the U.K. and of course, Canada! They come from all over Canada. I’m from Inuvik, Northwest Territories, but there are people from Toronto, Saskatoon, Chelsea, Calgary, Iqaluit, Whitehorse, and a whole bunch of other places.
But it’s not just the people who will make this such an awesome trip; it will be all of the activities too. It’s only the first day, but we’ve already played lots of games, to make new friends and build ‘karma’. I have managed to get one of our native games into the lineup for tomorrow…Buk-buk. Maybe we’ll get Michelle to video us playing it.
Tomorrow, we are going to the Canadian Museum of Nature where we will get a VIP tour. The facility has only been open to the general public once in it’s 12 years of existence. And then, in the evening, we get to go to a massive party just for us! It’s a fancy shin-dig to send us on our way. There’s going to be all sorts of important people there. We have to mingle and meet new people; it’s going to be fun. My friends have told me to do my walrus call to make new friends. It has worked so far. I’m looking forward to the food but I’m sure the people will be interesting too ,
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