As our week on the Amundsen draws to a close, I would like to express my appreciation to all the scientists who graciously gave their time to us. The scientists enthusiastically explained their research and let us assist with sample collection and analysis. The bravest (or most foolish) scientists also let us try driving the Skidoos to the sample sites!

I particularly enjoyed working with Matthew Asplin and Dustin Isleifson (University of Manitoba) on snow and sea ice sampling. Seeing frazil (or grease ice) and ice flowers (salt crystals that precipitate in flower-like shapes above newly formed ice) was quite a thrill as I had read about them but not seen them before. The icing on the cake was subsequently going on the solid ice with Matthew and Dustin and seeing how frazil and ice flowers were incorporated into the snow and ice layers. For instance, if you taste the snow at the surface it will taste like fresh water. However, if you taste the snow that lies just above the ice it will taste slightly salty due to the ice flowers. Other observations we made included temperature gradients, snow crystal size and different layers of ice. Some of their work utilized mathematical concepts applicable to my students (such as statistics and logarithms) which I’m excited to take back and share with my classes.

Another group I enjoyed working with was the zooplankton team – Gerald Darnis, Louis Letourneau, Anais Aubert, (Universite Laval) . Reaching the sampling site, the group sprang into action like a well-oiled machine. Every person did their job quickly and efficiently to deploy a plankton tow 280m down in -25 degrees C. Away from the boat without a winch, they used a Skidoo to raise the net to the surface. Anais offered to show me the copepods she was studying from the sample under the microscope. With Anais’ help I can now identify several copepods which are an important piece at the base of the Arctic ecosystem: Calanus hyperboreus, Calanus glacialis, eukata, and themisto.

I’d also like the opportunity to thank the crew of the ship. From delicious meals to wakeup calls when the Northern Lights are out, they have made our stay enjoyable and allowed us to focus entirely on learning as much as we can while aboard the CCGS Amundsen.

Sóc Josep Marlés, professor de biologia de l’Escola Frederic Mistral /Tècnic Eulàlia, a bord del vaixell oceanogràfic canadenc CCGS Amundsen.

Avui dia 10 de març, pel matí, he pogut realitzar la meva segona sortida al glaç. L’objectiu ha estat mesurar les diferents temperatures que presenta un testimoni de glaç en funció de la profunditat. Com més superficial, més baixa és la temperatura (avui hem mesurat -35ºC), en canvi, a mida que ens acostem a l’aigua líquida, a sota la banquisa, la temperatura és més alta, del ordre dels
-4ºC .

Obtenció d’un testimoni el gel de la banquisa.

A la tarda he realitzat la tercera sortida des que vaig arribar al vaixell. Hem anat a buscar zooplàncton i per fer-ho, ens hem desplaçat amb les motos de neu a una mena de pou que han instal.lat a uns 100m del vaixell. Les imatges us ajudaran a entendre com es pot obtenir una mostra de zooplàncton des de la superfície de la banquisa.

Un pou al mig de la banquisa


Preparant les xarxes per al zooplàncton


Obtenció de la mostra

Hi! It’s Alysa again, from Schools on Board. First thing this morning, I went out on the ice to a long-path DOAS, or Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy. OASIS (Ocean Atmosphere Sea Ice Snow) Canada is responsible for operating this instrument, that sends wavelengths of light to a reflector about a kilometer away from the ship, which is then reflected back to the ship for analysis. As different gases absorb different wavelengths of light and in varying amounts, the light reflected back can be used to study contaminants present in the ozone. The farther away the reflectors are, the more light particles will be used, so today we moved the reflector to a distance of 1.6 kilometers from the Amundsen.

I also spent some time in a lab with Beatriz, a scientist from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (Barcelona, Spain), filtering water for DNA and RNA cells. Once the cells had been filtered, we transferred the filters to vials, and then added a buffer. The vials were then wrapped in stockings, and hung in liquid nitrogen so that they would instantly freeze. Afterwards, the cells were put into a freezer where they will be stored until the scientists are ready to conduct additional analysis.

(A pump used for filtering DNA and RNA cells, as well as the fridge used to store them in.)

I’ve been aboard the Amundsen for nearly five days, and despite our hectic schedule, I feel as though there are still endless volumes of knowledge to soak in. The opportunities for research and experimentation on this ship are boundless, and exposure to many of them has fuelled my interest in the sciences even more. It seems as though every day presents itself with new windows of exploration and discovery.

Hey! This is Emma. Today has been very science orientated and one of my favourite days so far! Having been on the Amundsen for a few days I feel we are all settling into life onboard the icebreaker and the unpredictable nature of life studying in such a remote and unique environment.

This morning we had a presentation from the OASIS-Canada team - Ralf Staebler (Environment Canada), Jeff Seabrook (York University), Leif Vogel (University of Heidelberg), and Phil Tackett, (Purdue University). Their research focuses on two main pollutants in the Arctic; ozone and mercury, and why they disappear from the air near the ground along the coast of the frozen Arctic Ocean. It is thought this ‘disappearing act’ is caused by the combination of sunlight, snow and ice, and the low temperature over the surface of the ocean. Measurements of how fast chemicals move between the air and the snow and ice are taken on a sled so that sampling can be carried out over different types of ice and snow.

I attended a second presentation on Climatology in the Arctic by Matthew Asplin (University of Manitboa). Matthew described how the ice cover has been declining and the impact that this reduction has on climate in the Arctic. After this we went up to the deck to release a weather balloon. Attached to this weather balloon is a radiosonde, a small device used to measure the temperature, humidity and pressure of the atmosphere as the balloon rises. We filled the balloon with helium, added the radiosonde and released it on the helipad. As it was a clear day we could see the balloon as it ascended through the atmosphere up to around 2km. The radiosonde returns data via satellite to computers onboard the Amundsen. After dinner we checked the data and the balloon reached a height of 23km before popping at a temperature of -50.3*C.

(Alysa Almojuela and Emma Brown)

We finished today with a photo shoot out on the ice beside the Amundsen! The weather was on our side as the wind had died and the sun shone on us. It was great to get out and relax after a day of intense and enjoyable learning. We are having more and more opportunities to participate in the research carried out here, each being able to focus on our own interests and developing our knowledge further that would ever be possible in a classroom environment.

Hi! My name is Mandi Szuplewski and I am a Physics teacher from West Kirby Grammar School in England. Today has been the best day so far, as I have realised two of my dreams for the trip. Firstly, I spent an hour and a half working out on the frozen Arctic Ocean with a team of scientists. Two of the Schools on Board students, Alison (from Qikiqtarjuaq) and Alysa (from Winnipeg), with the help of Dustin Isliefson (University of Manitoba) helped to dig snow pits in order to take very precisely measured samples back to the onboard lab for analysis.

Meanwhile, Robin (Schools on Board) and I took ice core samples with two other scientists from the University of Manitoba - Pascal Collin and Mathew Alsip. A huge drill bit was inserted into a previously cleared patch of ice and an electric drill was attached, drilling down into the ice almost a metre. The ice core sample was quickly placed into a plastic bag and labeled with the date – this will be taken back to the lab and the salinity at different depths will be measured. A second ice core was then drilled and I did this partly by hand. Holes were drilled at 10cm and 5cm depths and a temperature probe was inserted. My job was to record the temperatures in a notebook for entry into the database back on the ship.

After hauling all the gear back onto the ship, Pascal showed us round some of the labs including her own which is refrigerated so that she can work on the ice cores while still frozen, taking thin slices and photographing them to study the crystals and how they vary in size etc with depth. We were all really ready for lunch after this busy morning in the freezing cold.

After lunch, Amanda Chaulk, who works for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans through the University of Manitoba, invited me to go to see her in her lab, where she looks for mercury in the water. She explained how the mercury that goes into the atmosphere and water from across the globe is transported to the poles and concentrated there. As the effects of climate change are felt and more of the polar ice melts, more mercury will be absorbed by the water in the oceans, having obviously adverse effects on the marine life.

The second dream was realised at two o’clock in the morning! We asked the bridge if they would call us if the Northern Lights were visible and when the call came, my room mate Wendy and I leapt out of bed and hurried up to the bridge, then out onto the roof. The lights were spectacular – green and misty swirls and curtains that kept changing before your eyes without you noticing at first. A cliché, but this was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Hi. My name is Susie Hawkins and I am the high school Math and Science teacher at Inuksuit School in Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut. This is my third year teaching in Qikiqtarjuaq and I am originally from Newfoundland.

For the past 4 days, we have been welcomed into the frozen home of scientists and Coast Guard crew onboard the CCGS Amundsen. Having the opportunity to watch the research being conducted here has reminded me of what “science” means – it is the questions and the search for answers. The scientists have been very open towards us and are very eager to share what they are doing. I find it fascinating to realize that the Arctic food chain relies completely on tiny microorganisms and that until we understand how these organisms are being affected by global warming and climate change, we cannot hope to predict how the famed polar bears, walrus, and seals will be affected.

Being able to experience life here has been a very eye-opening and renewing experience for me. Walking through the corridors today, I realized that no door is locked, no one is left wanting help, and respect for one another is foremost in people’s actions. The ship is a home, and everyone here is a part of the family. I feel honored to be here and to be a part of this amazing program. I look forward to getting to share what I have learned here with my students at home. Hopefully, they will find some new excitement in science as I have found by being here.
Today was a fun day. We started the day with a helicopter ride over the ice and the cliffs of Banks Island. Then we had the opportunity to experience the icebreaker in action! The crunching of the ice and shuddering of the ship was amazing! In the afternoon, we learned about Microscopic life in the Arctic Ocean, with a lecture and activities in the labs of the microbial team – Marta Estrada, Laura Alonso, and Beatriz Fernandez, from Institut de Ciències del Mar in Barcelona, Spain.

Finally, being Sunday, we had a semi-formal dinner tonight - escargots, steak and cheesecake were on the menu. Yum!

Hello, my name is Dan Matchullis, from Nellie McClung Collegiate in Manitou, Manitoba. (this is me on the top of the Igloo church in Inuvik)

Being confined to a ship where you can go and walk around outside, that’s the paradox of the icebreaker research ship Amundsen, in addition to it being frozen into a large sheet of meter and a half thick ice.



It is day 3 of the Schools on Board field program. Yesterday almost every member of our team hooked up with a scientist team to go do individual research and get to know the science on board the ship. I was fortunate enough to get out the farthest of anyone (1km away from the ship) and do ice coring for 3 hours with the carbon flux team.

Ice coring is not as easy as it looks, to make sure you do not break the core or contaminate the ice by touching it is a difficult process. It is also a very fast paced process with no room for judgment errors. Getting the core up out of the hole without dropping it back down the hole into the ocean, out of the ice borer without touching it, and never leaving it on any surface long enough for it to freeze are just some of the things to keep in mind while coring. But once you find the rhythm of the process it becomes a lot of fun to be apart of and to watch. With our wildlife guide on hand looking out for polar bears we were free to conduct our research without worry. After each core was brought out of the ice it was put down on a make-shift table to be measured. After this it was bagged and stapled tight and gently placed into the ice box. We also took some samples of the sea ice at the interface between the ocean and the ice for the contaminates team. To do this we would drill the first meter then take out the drill and place an extension onto it to drill the last half meter of the hole. Once we broke through to the ice, salty sea water would squirt up out of the hole. After eating cookies it was back to the ship for supper and I learned how to drive a snow mobile.
I found this to be my most interesting experience yet and I know we have many more planned before the end of the trip.

像科学家一样进行极地海洋科学研究

今天是到达科考船的第三天，又是一个令人期待的日子。来自加拿大、美国、中国、英国、西班牙等国的学生和老师们在北冰洋阿蒙森湾的极地海洋科考船上，开始了又一天有意义的活动。为了珍惜在船上的宝贵时间，我们每天都安排了充足的活动。今天的活动包括和科学家一起在实验室了解海洋生物、外出进行雪样和冰样的采集、了解船上的试验设备及其作用、参观海洋生物的采集过程，晚上还组织大家进行了开心的礼物赠送、师生互动活动和观看有趣的三D电影等，让这些来自天涯海角的师生兴奋不已。在紧张而又开心的活动中，大家打破了语言的隔阂，积极进取，互帮互助，体现了2008年国际菲尔德计划“船上学校”宣传国际极地年、宣传极地科学考察、普及极地科学知识的宗旨。

Joanne Delaronde (Fisheries & Oceans Canada) working with Emma和Allison.W像科学家一样进行科学研究


Robin的脸上也充满了发自内心的笑容
发自内心的微笑

几天来，菲尔德计划的师生们很快地融为了一体，无论是学习还是生活，处处充满了笑声。三月的北冰洋阿蒙森湾，四处冰天雪地，气候依然寒冷，但却阻挡不了大家一颗颗火热的心。在晚上举行的互相赠送礼物的活动中，来自西班牙的小Patricia笑的前仰后合，这次活动的组织者之一Robin身上挂满了小礼物，满脸笑容，为这些孩子们的表现高兴、为这次活动的顺利进行高兴、为大家赠送给她的小礼物高兴。

Mi nombre es Josep Marlés y soy profesor de biología en la Escola Frederic Mistral/Tècnic Eulàlia de Barcelona. En este momento me encuentro a bordo del navío oceanografico CCGS Amundsen formando parte del grupo del 2008 International Schools on Board Field Program.
Hemos dedicado el dia de hoy a realizar el viaje desde Inuvik hasta el barco. A través de la ventanilla de la Twin Otter, hemos podido observar la majestuosidad del delta del río Makenzie, completamente helado en esta época del año. Un evento muy especial y muy esperado por mi parte, ha sido el momento de la aparición de la banquisa del golfo de Amundsen; ciertamente, en invierno y por estas latitudes, uno no tiene muy claro donde acaba el continente y donde empieza el mar. Cuando la Twin Otter sobrevolaba el Amundsen, me he sentido enormemente feliz, porqué finalmente se cumpliria mi sueño de aterrizar en la banquisa del ártico.
El grupo de estudiantes y profesores de Schools on Borrad inician mañana sus trabajos a bordo del Amundsen. Todos esperamos con mucha expectación las actividades que los científicos presentes en el barco han preparado en relacion a temas muy diversos: Oceanografia, Geografia, Física, Biología y Meteorología.

Nuestra Twin Otter, a punto para despegar del aeropuerto de Inuvik

CCGS Amundsen. Incrustado en el hielo de la banquisa del Golfo de Amundsen


El continente helado deja paso al mar cubierto por la banquisa

Emma Brown (left) and teacher, Amanda Szuplewski (right)

Hey! I’m Emma Brown and I am a student in Year 13 in West Kirby Grammar School on the Wirral, England.

We spent our first night on the ship tonight and it was very different to the home comforts of the Arctic Chalet! It’s a lot more noisy onboard and very easy to get lost!! This morning we had a presentation by Marie-Emmanuelle Rail from the Institut national de la recherche scientifique in Quebec.

Marie-Emmanuelle has been working onboard the CCGS Amundsen for the last 6 years and has worked with Schools on Board in the past. The presentation included how temperature and salinity influence the density of sea water which in turn drives the ocean currents that distribute heat around the Earth. It was really interesting to see the animations of the oceans currents and how different factors affect the salinity such as river discharge and evaporation.

Marie-Emmanuelle and her colleague, Clement Clerc, introduced us to the Rosette, a large piece of equipment that has different probes and bottles that sample the water in the water column. The probes measure the pH, salinity and temperature of the water and the bottles take samples of water that can be brought back into the lab for analysis. There are 24 bottles on the Rosette, each holding 12 litres, which must are left open while the Rosette is submerged so that the bottles do not implode! The Rosette is submerged into the ocean through the Moon Pool; a large hole in the bottom of the ship! It travels down the water column taking measurements with the probes. When the Rosette comes back up the bottles close, taking water samples at depths set by the scientists.
We watched the Rosette come up and tested some of the water samples retrieved. To find out the oxygen content of the water, a glass jar was rinsed with water from a bottle and filled to the top. Chemicals were added to identify the volume of oxygen present in the water sample. We will go back tomorrow to analyse the water sample.

After lunch we had a lecture on carbon dioxide exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere, by Brent Else from the University of Manitoba. The presentation included how carbon dioxide is transported around the oceans by a physical and biological pump. The physical pump involves cold water rich in carbon dioxide sinking to the bottom of the ocean and warmer water upwelling, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The biological pump includes phytoplankton that photosynthesize, removing carbon dioxide. To measure the amount of carbon dioxide exchanged between the ocean and the atmosphere, the wind speed must be recorded as well as the volume of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the ocean. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and a main contributor to climate change, which affects the amount of sea ice cover which in turn affects the amount of carbon dioxide being exchanged between the ocean and the atmosphere.

We started to build a pyranometer in small groups using everyday items. This was interesting as it made us think about what features the instrument would need in order to measure parameters such as the amount of light being reflected and absorbed accurately. We plan to finish these tomorrow.

大家好，今天由我来总结一天的活动！

今天早上我们到Samuel Heam Secondary学校参加了由学生组成的交流会，学校的欢迎仪式十分特别，我们观看了因纽特人的传统舞蹈，虽然没有现代舞的华丽，但也具有一定的观赏性，充分体现出了因纽特人的特点，很有趣！接着我们又围绕北极，展开了关于全球变暖的讨论，这里的教学方式与我们中国有很大的区别，不是一味地听老师讲课，而是将学生分为几个小组，通过讨论自己动手来解决问题，然后小组互换结果，以此来达到教学的最终目的。
接下来，就是我期待已久的雪橇活动了。只是平时听过和看过一些照片而已，没想到自己竟然能够亲身参与到其中。和我想像中的一样，爱斯基摩犬很温顺，而且非常忠于主人，驾驭的技巧并不是太难，很容易掌握。由于是第一次，所以没什么经验，在一个转弯的时候，由于速度太快，被甩了出去，好在四周都是积雪，没受伤。在雪橇上疾驰的感觉是在很棒，虽然赶不上汽车的速度，但也别有一番滋味，必究这不是每个人都有机会参加的。
晚上，我们又重回学校看了一部名为Being Caribou的纪实电影。
这一天的活动差不多就这样吧。
到这里已经有5天了，感触实在太多了，感觉实在无法用语言表达，因为这里有太多的东西与我们不同，文化，风俗，太多太多了。开始的一切都非常不适应，由于时差的不同，当道我们吃饭的时间时，这里的人在睡觉;当我们睡觉的时候，他们在吃饭，所以非常不适应，好在现在差不多已经适应了。总之太多太多的感触，我想回去后会讲3天也吧，好了今天先到这吧，以后有机会再写吧！

以下是今天的一些照片。

My name is Wendy Houston and I’m a Math Instructor at Ocean Research College Academy in Everett, Washington. I’m happy to report that our Schools on Board group has safely arrived on the CCGS Amundsen.

Our day began with an 8:00AM arrival at the Inuvik airport. Winds of 35 knots and a temperature of -20 degrees C (you do the math on the wind chill!) kept us waiting at the airport for over seven hours until we were able to take off. According to scientists on board, extended weather delays are a given with Arctic research. We’re off to a good start at getting a full taste of what life as a polar scientist is like.

The plane ride was worth every minute of the wait. As we traveled north to the Amundsen trees gave way to tundra, tundra to the sea. I’d never seen sea ice before, and it was breathtaking. The ice was filled with leads (large cracks) making beautiful patterns visible from the air. The ice was like an abstract painting that lasted for miles. Watching the leads in the ice, many questions came to mind. Are the large number of cracks normal in the Beaufort Sea this time of year? How will this ice change as climate change continues? I’m looking forward to learning more about this amazing ice.

Seeing the Amundsen in the Beaufort Sea ice for the first time was quite a thrill. The late afternoon sunlight bathed the ship, the snowdrifts and the cliffs of Banks Island in warm light. After landing on the ice runway the crew made us feel welcome immediately by transporting us by snowmobile ‘BR’ back to the ship. After dinner and introductions at the scientists nightly meeting, we were given an entertaining and informative safety tour of the ship by 2nd Navigation Officer Olivier Tremblay. Since the Amundsen is frozen in the ice, you might think the lifeboats would be irrelevant in an emergency. Yet they are useful on the ice, serving as shelter from the elements if necessary.

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to visit the Arctic and am looking forward to learning as much as I can from the impressive scientists and crew.

March 5th, Inuvik

This morning we went to Samuel Hearne Secondary School to see presentations done by the students and community members. We were warmly welcomed by the community. It was really sweet! After the welcome we heard a song and presentation by members of Arctic Voices, a group of students who are working hard to raise awareness about climate change. It really meant a lot to me to see the students so involved with their community and caring so much about this big issue. After the Arctic Voices, we got a lesson in Inuvialuktun. I really like the language here, it is very unique.

To go along with the whole theme of global warming and environmental concerns in the Arctic, a man from the Mackenzie Gas Project talked to us about the proposed project and how it will help the community and the economy. I had a question in my mind the whole time, is it worth it? Would all the jobs really outweigh the impacts to the environment? He said that there would be great economic gain, but a certain change in lifestyle would greatly affect the Inuit and Gwich’in peoples who have lived here for a long time. People would no longer be able to access certain places. Deb English talked to us about Gwich’in Tribal Council, the importance of young people being close to the land, and the important role that youth

We were treated to a demonstration of drum dancing, and enjoyed joining in. We’ll all be pros at drum dancing by the end of this trip! We also got to participate in some Arctic traditional games, like leg wrestling. When we got back to the Arctic Chalet we were thrilled to go dog sledding! Everyone got to run their own team of dogs. It was such an amazing experience, the dogs listened and responded to the slightest push on the brake, and the scenery was spectacular! Trees, snow everywhere, wide open spaces where the dogs could run all out. It was breathtaking. Part of the experience is getting to know your dogs – my team consisted of Alaska, Pingo, Tundra, and Hansel; they were a very well behaved bunch.

After dog-sledding, we went to the Igloo church. Father Matthew told us all about the history of the building and its construction. The building, instead of being built on stilts like most buildings in Inuvik, was built on gravel and concrete as the base of the outer shell. The actual church is the inner shell. This construction keep in warmth and not to melt the permafrost. The outer shell was really cool! We climbed the ladder to the top of the church and saw the view of the whole town from the roof, again, breathtaking.

We ended our day watching the movie Being Caribou at Samuel Hearn Secondary School and it was very eye opening. Two people followed the caribou migration from Canada to Alaska and it was amazing to see it all. They go to a place where the Bush presidents wanted to drill for oil, how could they even think of doing that.

All in all, it was an amazing day! I’m so glad we were able to see the community up here.

Allie Wolter

Allie is a student at the Ocean Research College Academy in Everett, Washington and a participant on the 2008 International Schools on Board field program.

March 3 & 4 – arrival in Inuvik and day trip to Tuktoyaktuk

Hi, I'm Alysa Almojuela and I'm a student onboard the 2008 International Schools on Board Field Program. I was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and am currently a grade twelve student at Sisler High School. After a whirlwind of delayed flights, some lost luggage, and misplaced identification, our team finally arrived safe and sound in Inuvik – our . Our first day in town was spent exploring arts and crafts stores and the Western Arctic Visitor Centre, while also trying to get accustomed to the change in environment. For our new friends from Barcelona, (Spain) this change was very significant.

Today, in the wee hours of the morning, all fourteen of us piled into a van and made the three hour journey to Tuktoyaktuk. Whereas the town is only accessible by air during the summer, in the winter, it is accessible by land via an "ice road.” The last eighteen miles of the road into town are actually on the Arctic Ocean. As we approached Tuktoyaktuk, we were fascinated by ‘pingos’ on the right side of the van and pressure ridges on the ocean side to the left. When we arrived in town we went straight to Mangilaluk School, where we were introduced to traditional culture: dancing, singing, food, and more. Effie Gruben, Tianna Kuptana and their teacher, Betty Elias, showed us some steps to the traditional "Polar Bear" dance. After lunch we went to the public viewing of the school science fair and had fun talking to the kids about their projects.

My highlight was getting the opportunity to explore an "ice house" -- a natural underground freezer dug into the continuous permafrost and used to store foods from the land – meat and fish. We climbed down a narrow ladder roughly thirty feet underground, completely in the dark except for the aid of flashlights. The ice house itself was beautiful, with long hallways branching off into small ‘family’ rooms, each one identified by a large number on the door. We were surrounded by delicate ice crystals.

Later in the day, we had the opportunity to sample ‘country foods’ which included dried whitefish, herring, and moose meat, moose soup, and akpik (a type of berry). Feeling adventurous, we also sampled a traditional Inuit delicacy - "muktuk" (beluga whale blubber). All this was provided to us by Maureen Pokiak, a friend of Schools on Board, who also shared her personal experiences of living life in an Arctic environment, and both the challenges and joys her community faces. It's only been a few days into the program, but we definitely hit the ground running. The group seems to mesh together quite nicely and a sense of teamwork is already beginning to develop. I know I can speak for all of us when I say that we have high hopes for this trip, and are all certainly looking forward to the days to come.