Welcome to my journey North!
I've spent the last few weeks in B.C., visiting law firms and public interest law organizations in Vancouver, visiting family and friends in Golden, Nelson and New Denver and working on the campaign to re-elect Norm Macdonald in Kimberley. The time has flown by and suddenly I am facing the prospect of a looonnnnggg drive to a part of the country I've never been to.

What is this summer (and this blog) all about?
An internship adventure in the wilds of Northern Canada!

First things first, way back in the early winter I applied for an internship with Canadian Lawyers Abroad. There were placements all over the world. The one that I thought looked like it was most interesting to me and that I would be able to share some of my experience with was the Yukon River Intertribal Watershed Council. I was accepted to my first choice and so began this journey.
I realized that as great an experience as I hope to have, working for free was going to be tough, especially when the tuition payment rolls around next fall. I set out applying for funding and appealing to my amazing family and friends for their support.
One of my applications was to the Parhad Programme Summer Studentship, through the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work. I applied and waited and waited. In the thick of exams I had an interview with a really tough panel, that when I walked out I was sure I'd bombed. They emailed me back a little while later to say that I was successful and I had recieved a good contribution towards my living expenses and travel to Whitehorse. Score!
Previous to that I had also applied, along with my fellow intern from UBC, to the federal government's Summer Works funding program. It took until I was in Kimberley to find out that one of our positions was accepted for funding. This then meant that a further funding program through our Student's Union at the University of Calgary called SWEEP (Student Work Experience Enhancement Program) kicked in for me and I get to top up my wage to $15/hr.
In addition, family and friends really stepped up and generously contributed cash as well.
The reason I share this story is that it really shows that doing what you think is right and what you really want to do can work out. It does take hard work and I'm sure that my final grades reflect the time I spent writing applications, going to interviews and corresponding with these funding sources. But in the end, it means that I get to carry out important work, in an amazing place, with and for incredible people, and come out OK for myself. It also shows that the saying "where there is a will there is a way" is so true!

Friday, May 15th is the day that Martina (we were in highschool together a decade ago) and I head out of Golden on the long road north. I will be keeping this blog updated (as per funders requirements) and will get some photos up ASAP as well.

Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and of course to all my funders!

Carmen