And finally.... Whapmagoostui

Greetings all, I'm writing to you from the 55th paralell. I have arrived in the final community of this trip, Whapmagoostui, or Kuujjuarapik on the Innu side or as everyone still calls it, Great Whale. I'm no longer staying in housing from the health board, but rather a research station run by the University of Laval. It's nice, but has emphasized that I'm definitely not in my own apartment, so I'm really feeling the push now to finish and return to Montreal.

The one upside to this place is that is does have internet, so I can try and sum up what has happened in the last little while.

I travelled successfully from Waskaganish to Nemaska around the 11th. Nemaska is a very small community, with only 600 people, in a beautiful spot. There are hydro projects very close to the community though, and I've heard that the environment has noticeably changed in the last few years. I could see large dams being built in the distance.

I was there for a little less than a week, then got a ride with an interesting family to Mistissini. There I was overjoyed to reunite with my dear darling Christine, who had been there all month. Mistissini is one of the largest Cree communities, with around 4000 people, but I still found it to have a nice sense of smallness. I had a great field assistant, Francois - here's a picture of us sampling the tons of mountain ash that was around the town!

I was also lucky enough to be in Mistissini during a traditional gathering, where I saw elders preparing mountain ash as a medicine! We had a very successful meeting between the scientists of our team, represented by my supervisor who I met up with there in Mistissini, where we had some super yummy blueberry bannock. I also got to see ladies make beautiful crafts at the

gathering, and bought a pair of authentic mocassins! (the ones without the fur to the left)

Due to my great help, I left Mistissini after just a few days and went to Chisasabi. I unfortunately arrived just before a weekend of miserable rain and weather, so I couldn't collect, but I had been developing a cold so it was a good opportunity to stay in, work on data stuff, and get better. Once I got collecting, things went well and again after not quite a week, I took off for Whapmagoostui.

It is definitely the north here! I was amazed even in Chisasabi at the difference in the ecosystem, with sand and a lot more moss cover as we approach the tundra. Anyways, I'm now hoping to finish up either Sunday or Monday, and scurry back to civilization. I think that being out here has definitely helped me mature as a person, be more independent, etc., but I really want a Starbucks. Smooches to you all!