Hear From Connie Ittukallak from Puvirnituq

Connie recently moved to the South to pursue her education, and we interviewed her to share

with you her recommendations, challenges and motivations! Continue being a source of inspiration Connie, and we wish you the very best in this new adventure!

Recently I’ve been very passionate about climate change up north. The climate back home is changing and it’s concerning me a little bit and school down south gave me some opportunity to speak about it, which I love.My school back home in Puvirnituq was interesting and so different from here with all my classmates. Continuing my education with my classmates gave me motivation especially my best friend who was in the same class as me and we gave each other motivation to graduate together and to be experiencing the college life for the first time with her definitely gave me a sense of confidence and comfort. It really helps when you go down South for school with somebody you know to support each other or to feel less home sick.

My decision to come here for school was an interesting process. I’m still not 100% sure what I’m supposed to do here, but I know I’m learning a lot more in a different way that I couldn’t learn back home. Homework is harder definitely, but here it’s different the way they teach. It’s not just math or science, it’s more than that and I get to choose my classes. They want you to understand how to learn that and the way they teach is a little easier here. We get to choose our classes and I’m really happy about that because for one of my programs I chose photography. I love taking pictures or capturing beautiful moments. School here is a little more serious, but with KI’s help we ease into it and in such a comfortable way, and I’m happy I chose to come here. If I ever regret coming here, I can always come back home. The option is always there, but I’m really glad I chose to come here and try. At least I get to say I tried to make it, and people back home have faith that I can do it, which gives me so much motivation. I really want you to succeed up here. They really believe in you, and they support you. I’m glad.

I really hope I will at least finish a year. I hope I have so many accomplishments in the future. I’m really reaching for the sky. I have hope for my future and sometimes it gets scary thinking about it, but I’m going to try. I really hope I succeed in the future and people believing in me gives me such motivation to try even harder and prove to them, I can do it and help my community. I hope to make a difference in my community or help them in such a big way, part of it is the reason I’m here. I hope I get to make something of myself to help our communities or something. I’m reaching for the sky.

I want people to understand that it’s really not that hard here. If you believe in yourself enough you can always do it, the support you get here. There’s not that much support but the support you do get is always good. You won’t really know where you end up and I hope you get to just try. Try something. Just try it, home will always be there, andyou can always come back to welcoming arms here you get to try something new learn something new. Maybe I’ll open opportunity for you, you just need to try.