On the last week of May, twelve young high school students from Cornerbrook on the West Coast of Newfoundland stepped off the plane into Toronto. They were on an exchange with our YMCA Academy.

The Canada Youth Exchange Program is a national program designed for Canadian high school students.  Its purpose is to provide students with an opportunity to experience an educational exchange with a group of students who live in a culturally different environment.

Our students brought them home on the subway (a new experience for the east-coasters who have no subway system) and settled them into the unique environment that comprises our Academy. Over the next five days, these two groups developed bonds, examined cultural differences, and found new ways to learn. They also had lots of fun and made mischief where appropriate.

The next week our hardy team of staff (5 chaperones)and 12 students in grades 9,10 and 11, packed our bags and hopped the plane to Cornerbrook. Newfoundland’s rugged shores and boggy terrain were quite a shock to our urban youth, who settled in with delight.

We were warmly welcomed and were soon canoeing and back-packing through Grosse Morne National Park; enjoying a potluck dinner at the high school with traditional Newfoundland foods (lobster, mussels, fish cakes etc.); and a Screeching-In ceremony where all repeated “Long May Your Big Jib Draw” drank Strawberry Purity Syrup (in lieu of Screech), and then kissed the cod. Now we are honorary Newfoundlanders.

Needless to say, both groups learned a lot about our different life styles, about being good hosts and that no matter where you live and what you do – we’re all the same; people learning and struggling, loving life and making friends.