How I came to be in Churchill

Latitude: 58º 44.16'N Longitude: 93º 49.09'W

On January 30, 2014, I began a dream of a lifetime, made before "bucket lists" became popular, and while I was in my first real Geography class with Miss Papp at St Peter's Elementary School in New Brunswick, New Jersey. That class, my paternal Uncle Leo's yearly gift of a subscription to National Geographic magazine, and my Dad, Bud Warren's interest in the natural world which we could only view on black and white, teenie weinie, TV, all blended and fused creating the girl, woman, crone who wants to not just see the whole world but to become part of the essence of all people and places I encounter.

The trip was to view the illusive Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis, the mystical, totally mesmerizing natural phenomenon that is a result of collisions of gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere.I booked with a tour company, only an 8 day trip (how frozen can you get?) and began in Winnipeg, then Tundra Train overnight two days on VIA rail, and, finally, Churchill.

I have never seen so much snow

My group was great, really nice adventurous people, and I began to see the old TV show Northern Exposure in my mind  as I met the regular towns people, and eavesdropped on locals conversations, especially our bus driver/guide to everything, Rhonda who was an incredible help and knows everyone!

One of the things we did during the VACATION part was visit the Churchill Northern Studies Center to see the research facility an have a Dee-licious lunch! During lunch i meet and had a long conversation with Brian, a volunteer, and found out that a volunteer had not arrived on the train as expected and would not be arriving. I casually mentioned to Brian that the poor gal missed a GREAT opportunity and he asked me if I was interested. Brian called Heidi (in charge) and it all began. I called Hubby and after the shock subsided, Duffy agreed that it was a chance of a lifetime for me. Heidi interviewed me, flights were changed, I finished with the tour and two days later I became a temporary resident of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada-EH!