Between Nunavik and Svalbard: thoughts from student-researcher Sarah Gauthier

Sarah begins a month of training at Svalbard before returning to Salluit.

"Travelling in the north means being resilient to the weather. Through my various trips, I have experienced the long days that start at 4am and end at 11pm, had flights cancelled because of a blizzard, dug more holes than a marmot, been through wind, mosquitoes, rain, cold and humidity... One would think that when it rains, that it is windy and that it is cold at the same time, there will be no mosquito, but no. They're still there. Actions as simple as photographing a sunset become an extreme sport when the temperature is near -50°C. Despite everything, the north piques my curiosity and pushes me to deepen my knowledge by offering striking shows and majestic landscapes. These moments are some of the best experiences of my life! I haven't had much opportunity to get to know the people who live in the north, but my experience shows me a community that is always ready to help its neighbour, with great respect for researchers who share their knowledge.

My next adventure: Svalbard! Hoping not to come to close to a polar bear in this paradise of geomorphology, where I already feel at home."

- Sarah Gauthier