Our trip to Norway was an exciting and unique experience with my fellow council members. Due to thunderstorms in Toronto, we were lucky to have an unexpected stop in Frankfurt for one night. We took the chance to visit the downtown area of Frankfurt, Germany, including Römerberg. It took us a few days to finally reach our destination, the beautiful city of Bodø.

There, we met indigenous/Inuit people from the Arctic circumpolar region. We shared food and laughter, experienced traditional dishes and desserts, and facilitated our first panel, introducing youth-led and youth engagement sessions.

We also had the opportunity to throat sing and enjoyed a spontaneous moment trying on clothes at a thrift store. Our hotel in Bodø was right in front of the ocean, which was lovely. I can say that the Quality Hotel in Bodø is much more appealing than the one in Montreal that we are all used to. We, from the youth council, brought posters and stuck them around town like little rascals on the loose! Although our time in Bodø was cut short, we all enjoyed visiting and being welcomed. Thank you to our Norwegian sisters and brothers!

Janice Parsons