World travel calls youth

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Travelling the wilds of Central America is one way of discovering your strengths and weaknesses.

At least that's what Tanya Cardinal believes. The 18-year-old looks forward to going to Honduras at the end of this year with Canada World Youth to learn about different cultures. And in the process, learn about herself.

"In a sense I kind of expect to find myself," said Cardinal about her up-coming trip. "I want to learn about and from other people and if I can do something with what I learned, it will help me find out what I want to do with my life."

Cardinal had a brush with international travel as a young girl that left her anxious to experience more. In 1985 she travelled to Chile with her mother on a month-long exchange program.

Since then "all I want to do is travel," said Cardinal. She applied to Canada World Youth (CWY) after seeing an ad for the program on a community billboard. Another approximately 520 youths between the ages of 17 and 21 in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, applied as well. Heavy competition for 40 openings.

"You don't ever think you're going to make it," laughed Cardinal. She certainly didn't think so, particularly after not getting a reply when friends received their notices they didn't get in.

But two weeks later, Cardinal heard from Canada World Youth which had been trying to locate her after misdirecting her acceptance letter.

"I sat there for about five minutes, not saying a word. I thought it was a joke," she said.

Shaun Devine, administrative officer for the Alberta CWY program, admits it is a rough one to get into. Funded through the Canadian International Development Agency, CWY has seen its funding cut in the last few years.

But since the program's inception 22 years ago, more than 16,000 Canadian participants have taken part of cross-cultural exchanges around the world. Youths share homes and work with counterparts in Asia, Africa and Latin America, splitting the seven-month program in Canada with foreign participants, and then in host countries.

The primary focus is educational, both to help youths become familiar with their own community and environments, as well as those of other peoples.

For that reason, the participants must commit to making presentations to various community or school organizations following their overseas experience.

They also have to raise $500 toward their expenses. While Cardinal has raised some funds for her trip, which starts at the end of August, she is still seeking sponsors, from the community or corporate, to complete the amount.

For more information on Canada World Youth, call 432-1877.