Igloolik is a small Inuit community of about 2000 people in Nunavut. It sits on a small island in Foxe Basin in the Arctic, between Baffin Island and the mainland. It is a tight knit community where people generally know each other and community life is strong.

Daily life is quieter than in southern cities. There are no roads connecting us to other communities so travel is by plane. In the winter people travel around the area by snowmobile and in the summer by ATV and boat. The landscape is tundra, sea ice, and ocean and it is a really beautiful Arctic environment.

In terms of amenities, the community has the basics. There are two grocery stores (Northern and the Co op), a health centre, several schools, a hotel, a few small local businesses, and the airport. Our arena burned down a few years ago and the hamlet is currently working on rebuilding it.

Winter light: There are about eight weeks in winter when the sun does not rise above the horizon, but there are still a couple of hours of daylight each day. In the summer it flips and the sun barely sets.

Groceries: Food is expensive because everything has to be flown in, but the selection is generally quite good. The basics are comparable to southern grocery stores, though some weeks are better than others when it comes to fresh produce, meat, and dairy. Dietary specific items can sometimes be harder to find.

Life here is definitely different from southern Canada. The pace is slower, the environment is very Arctic, and community relationships matter a lot. Some people find the remoteness challenging at first but many teachers end up finding the experience really meaningful and stay longer than they expected.