If someone told me a few months ago that I’d get the chance to ski in one of the prettiest places in the world I wouldn’t have believed them. If someone had also told me that I get to have the experience of a lifetime visiting somewhere in Canada that I had never been to; all while making new friends along the way I definitely wouldn’t have believed them. But here I am writing this blog to tell people about the amazing adventure that Experiences Canada organized for my ski team to go on.
To start the trip, we arrived at Ottawa airport and checked in our luggage and ski bags. On the 4 hour plane ride we played board games and watched movies with our friends. Once we arrived at the Calgary airport we met our exchange partners for the first time and drove to their houses for our much needed sleep. From there on our days were full of skiing, fun activities and exploring Calgary, Lake Louise and finally the Canmore Nordic centre. A few examples of the activities that we participated in while we visited Alberta were skating at the Olympic oval in Calgary, staying at a hostel in Lake Louise and skiing to the border of Alberta and British Columbia.
One of the highlights of this trip was getting the chance to watch a Para World Cup race at the Canmore Nordic Center. At this event we watched incredible athletes compete at the highest level of our sport and tried biathlon for the first time. A week later, after tearful goodbyes Nakkertok athletes were on a plane headed home, but already anticipating the arrival of our Foothills exchange partners in Ottawa.
A month later to our great excitement our Foothills friends landed in Ottawa. From the airport they took a bus and met us at our ski club in Gatineau. That evening we showed them around the Nakkertok trails and then had a yummy potluck party. Their days here in Ottawa were filled with skis in the famous Gatineau park, laser tag, rock climbing, a lot of skating, first on the iconic Rideau Canal and then forest skating in rural Ottawa. We also participated in a massive scavenger hunt around downtown, which highlighted many of the historical places in our beautiful city. We even got to eat lunch in one of the parliament buildings.
Overall, I think I can speak for everyone on this exchange in saying that this adventure was an experience of a lifetime and something that we will never forget. All the memories that were made, the inside jokes, and friendships built will be cherished forever.
-Sinead G, Experiences Canada 2026 participant
Experiences Canada covers the cost of group travel! Apply today to secure funding for a 2026 Youth Exchange: https://experiencescanada.ca/exchanges/.
Experiences Canada’s Youth Exchange Program is generously funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage.
