In an effort to stay within the current posting theme, and because I know it will embarrass her to no end, I just thought I should mention that the NEP wouldn't have existed without Ashley's help.
She was my right-hand man, taking care of everything from scrounging up enough boots, to hotel bookings, to t-shirt design input (just to name a few). Most importantly, she was my sounding post and source of reason every time I needed to rant (or cry) because of some new NEP related catastrophe.
Thanks Ashley. I'll buy you dinner when you get home from Eureka!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thanks Tara
It was nice to read the praise Pierre has for Tara, and to hear it from Kaley on the last day. I watched Tara all week and saw how much she carried this adventure on her shoulders - talk about a lot of pressure. The fact that it came out so well in the end is a tribute to her.
Tara, you knew when to compromise and you knew when to be tough. Thanks for everything. As a teacher who has organized everything from field trips to conferences to film festivals, I was amazed at how this trip was planned to the finest detail. You had everything planned for and when the unexpected happened you handled it. It allowed me to totally relax and enjoy the trip because I knew you had it all under control.
You are the nicest dictator I ever worked for.
Ken
Tara, you knew when to compromise and you knew when to be tough. Thanks for everything. As a teacher who has organized everything from field trips to conferences to film festivals, I was amazed at how this trip was planned to the finest detail. You had everything planned for and when the unexpected happened you handled it. It allowed me to totally relax and enjoy the trip because I knew you had it all under control.
You are the nicest dictator I ever worked for.
Ken
Summing up the hours of effort
It's back to the day-to-day grind for all of us now, and so as is usual for me, I sit back for a few minutes at the end of a day(s) of catch up, for a bit of reflection on what has passed.
I think we can all agree that it was a success on pretty much all counts. It was also a great deal of work for a small group of people, and to them I would now like to offer a few words of admiration and profound thanks.
Ashley and Matt -- As always, you comported yourselves with a professionalism marked by grace under fire. You guys are top notch and CANDAC is fortunate to be able to call on you time and again in so many diverse capacities. You rock!
Jim Drummond -- Thanks Jim for all the support and the vision and not to mention being willing to take a chance on this.
Tara -- In a word, "WOW!" Tara took this skeletal idea that Kaley and I had dreamt up, and put the flesh and muscle on the bones. Without Tara's efforts we dont' have a program. She covered all the bases and has earned the respect and admiration of all of us that worked with her. As it develped, it wasn't always easy, and it wasn't always smooth but it got done and it was done well. As someone who has spent much of my adult life in the field away from the security of office and lab, I can offer no greater compliment than to say "I'd go into the field with you and do it again, anytime!" Anyone that's put something together far from home can only applaud your efforts. Thanks, Tara, for making it work, and for not getting too upset that I wasn't more upset when maybe I could have been ;-)
One last thing. Even though both Kaley and I get credited, the lions share of that credit on this should go to her. She was the one who was on top of it, keeping an eye of things, while I occasionally showed up to put my 2 cents in.
Hopefully, I haven't missed anyone!
Pierre
I think we can all agree that it was a success on pretty much all counts. It was also a great deal of work for a small group of people, and to them I would now like to offer a few words of admiration and profound thanks.
Ashley and Matt -- As always, you comported yourselves with a professionalism marked by grace under fire. You guys are top notch and CANDAC is fortunate to be able to call on you time and again in so many diverse capacities. You rock!
Jim Drummond -- Thanks Jim for all the support and the vision and not to mention being willing to take a chance on this.
Tara -- In a word, "WOW!" Tara took this skeletal idea that Kaley and I had dreamt up, and put the flesh and muscle on the bones. Without Tara's efforts we dont' have a program. She covered all the bases and has earned the respect and admiration of all of us that worked with her. As it develped, it wasn't always easy, and it wasn't always smooth but it got done and it was done well. As someone who has spent much of my adult life in the field away from the security of office and lab, I can offer no greater compliment than to say "I'd go into the field with you and do it again, anytime!" Anyone that's put something together far from home can only applaud your efforts. Thanks, Tara, for making it work, and for not getting too upset that I wasn't more upset when maybe I could have been ;-)
One last thing. Even though both Kaley and I get credited, the lions share of that credit on this should go to her. She was the one who was on top of it, keeping an eye of things, while I occasionally showed up to put my 2 cents in.
Hopefully, I haven't missed anyone!
Pierre
The end
Hey guys, miss everyone, it was good wile it lasted but all good thing have to come to an end unfortunately. I know realistically we will never meet again and so to you all that I don't see again it was great. To the few that I might ever run into one day I can't wait for that one day. It was truly the experience of a lifetime and therefore we have a lifetime to share it. Take care!
Once again I would like to thank everyone from teachers to CANDAC members, I won't mention any names to make sure I don't forget anyone.
This is Phil signing out for one last time...
Once again I would like to thank everyone from teachers to CANDAC members, I won't mention any names to make sure I don't forget anyone.
This is Phil signing out for one last time...
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Living a Dream
The morning after a dream is so hard, trying to figure out what was real and what was imagined; wishing you could go back to sleep and recapture it, but knowing you can never do it. It will never be the same, but it will always be a fantastic memory.
I went to school today but felt like I was living in a fog all day (probably because I was so tired). Everyone wanted to know how things went, and I couldn't come up with enough adjectives to describe the experience.
Thank you Kaley and Pierre for dreaming and inviting us into it.
I went to school today but felt like I was living in a fog all day (probably because I was so tired). Everyone wanted to know how things went, and I couldn't come up with enough adjectives to describe the experience.
Thank you Kaley and Pierre for dreaming and inviting us into it.
Goodbye for now.
It's been an adventure! And it's difficult to believe it's over. I'd like to start off by thanking the great people over at CANDAC for dreaming up this idea and for Tara, Kaley, Pierre, Matt and Ashley for gracing us with your presence, to the teachers: Andy, Mike, Allison, Sonia, Dale, and Ken, thanks for the great memories and lessons that you worked so hard to prepare for. Thanks to the students, all of you are smart and so fun to be around, I will treasure the friendships made. Finally, thanks to all the people of Resolute and Eureka for sharing youy time, knowledge and love of the Arctic.
It will be difficult to adjust back to normal life again, but I have comfort in the fact that I had the oppurtunity to be a part of this experience. I hope to keep in touch with friends made and in the future meet again.
It will be difficult to adjust back to normal life again, but I have comfort in the fact that I had the oppurtunity to be a part of this experience. I hope to keep in touch with friends made and in the future meet again.
The End of the Best 11 Days of My Life
I've made it home safe and sound, and managed to get all my baggage too. Unfortunately everything is over now, and I'll have to go back to school again. Don't worry though, because I took a lot of pictures and am ready to show them to anyone and everyone that asks, even to people that don't ask.
I want to thank everyone who had anyting to do with the Northern Experience Program for all the amazing times that we had. I am going to miss you all!! These past days I have had a blast and I have learned so much new stuff. I loved everything from skinning a polar bear, to eating narwhal, to seeing the northern lights to walking along the PEARL ridge above the amazing landscapes of the arctic.
I am truly sad that it is all over now and thank everyone for making the last week and a half the best days that I have encountered so far! I really hope that we will see each other again in the future.
I want to thank everyone who had anyting to do with the Northern Experience Program for all the amazing times that we had. I am going to miss you all!! These past days I have had a blast and I have learned so much new stuff. I loved everything from skinning a polar bear, to eating narwhal, to seeing the northern lights to walking along the PEARL ridge above the amazing landscapes of the arctic.
I am truly sad that it is all over now and thank everyone for making the last week and a half the best days that I have encountered so far! I really hope that we will see each other again in the future.
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