Katimavik, like life, is a program full of endings and lasts. Last day at Orientation/Rotation camp, Last day of House Orientation, last day of work, last week of the program, the end of high school, the end of "childhood" the end of the program, the end of being together as a family...
I am getting ahead of myself. What is Katimavik? It is a program in which you spend nine months in three different houses that are run-down, with equipment that doesn't work, and 10 other teenagers you don't know, and may not get along with. You spend all your days working between 8 and 16 hours, being paid less than slave wages. You attend boring workshops, and work yourself to death cleaning the house. You have as little (if not less) freedom than you do living with your parents.
For the group living, you are forced into a house with between nine and ten other teens (at the beginning) and basically turn into a family. You share each others happiness, sorrow, anger. You share challenges, triumphs, victories, defeats, losses and relationships. You go from strangers, to friends, to family.
The nine months you are in Katimavik pack as much learning experience as three years in high school. You mature faster, work harder, joke more, fight more intensely, love stronger, cry harder, and altogether learn about yourself and others.

After all of these ideas, feelings, growing, learning, and becoming more confidant and strong in ourselves.... they make the group split up, and it is devastating. You feel almost like you have grown up with these people, and now you are going your separate ways. You know you will see each other again, but it may not be for years. You know you'll keep in contact, but you'll afraid that moving and moving on will make that difficult. Your whole life has changed, you've lost friends, gained friends, and now everything is changing again.

Looking back now, there is only one thing I would change about my Katimavik experience. I would have tried harder to be together with the rest of my friends, my group, my family. I love them (and if any of you are reading this, YOU) all like my own family.

Would I recommend Katimavik to people between the ages of 17 and 21? Without a doubt. I will tell everyone I meet in that range to join Katimavik... but I will add on some small pieces of advice to help make the experience the most it can be. Do everything you can with the group, you will regret it if you don't. Don't be afraid to be yourself, it will make everything smoother in the long run. Be open with your group, for they will be part of your life for at least nine months. Eat when you can, it'll help. Cry when you need to, and don't be ashamed of it.

Anyways... that is all I have to say right now....
Love you all, do Katimavik if you can, enjoy it...
Do everything you can in Life

Machina Master