It was quite the experience travelling with Class Afloat for former Naujaat teacher and cadet leader Lloyd Francis, who left Naujaat in 2018 after spending five years in the community.

Francis had 60 students from 17 countries, about half of whom were Canadian, on board the Dutch vessel Gulden Leeuw (Golden Lion) with him during his first year.

There were 60 students representing 14 countries during the first three months of this year's school semester, when Francis had to return home due to medical concerns with his mother.

Francis taught high school social studies, global geography, global history, political science and Canadian history on board the vessel.

He visited about 30 countries during his tenure, a number of them twice, with Class Afloat beginning and ending its travels each year in the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam.

Francis said there were a number of differences between teaching on board and teaching in a regular classroom, including the lack on internet resources on the vessel.

He said that meant having to acquire all his teaching resources either from the previous teacher, the books on board the ship, or by downloading items while in port.

SA国际影视传媒�Once we left port, we really had no connection with the outside world,SA国际影视传媒� said Francis.

SA国际影视传媒�There were, obviously, connections in case of emergencies and things of that nature but teachers had no access to that, so we really had to have everything prepared before we left because sometimes we'd be at sea for up to two weeks at a time.

SA国际影视传媒�You also had to be a little flexible because students would get seasick, which meant you had to have lessons prepared that were a little bit easier for the students for when the seas were rough.

SA国际影视传媒�The biggest thing my students and I learned, some maybe the hard way, was that you do as much work as you can when you're feeling good, so you have as much as possible done beforehand when storms hit or you've become seasick.SA国际影视传媒�

Available space was also a challenge on board the vessel and, sometimes during a class, everyone would be needed out on deck to conduct a sail manoeuvre, especially during a storm.

Francis said one thing he learned during his time in Naujaat was to be flexible with his teaching methods and that really helped him while on board the Gulden Leeuw.

He said he's disappointed a planned visit back to the community in the coming month had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.

SA国际影视传媒�My girlfriend and I were going up for four or five days to visit people I know in Naujaat, visit the cadet corps there and just kind of see how things are doing.

SA国际影视传媒�It's been almost two years since I've been there and I miss Naujaat, which I consider my second home.SA国际影视传媒�

Francis said he taught his students a lot about Nunavut while on the ship.

He said the students were really curious to learn about Nunavut, and the students from countries outside of Canada were quite curious to learn about the Arctic in general.

SA国际影视传媒�On Nunavut Day, we actually raised the Nunavut flag on the ship and the students thought that was a very cool thing to do.

SA国际影视传媒�While in Naujaat, I'd drive my snowmobile out onto the land and turn it off just to listen to the complete silence.

SA国际影视传媒�It was kind of like that on the ship too, when we were out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, when you'd look around and it would show you just how vast the world really is.SA国际影视传媒�

Francis said there were more challenges during his time with Class Afloat than he might have thought of at first, but nothing came up that he couldn't handle.

He said, overall, the experience was pretty much what he expected.

SA国际影视传媒�It was something that took a little getting used to but I loved every minute of the experience, which is something I'd consider doing again.

SA国际影视传媒�You really bond with the students SA国际影视传媒� you get really close with them SA国际影视传媒� because you are all part of the crew.

SA国际影视传媒�You live, work and eat with the students and the rest of the crew, so you get to know everyone quite well. You're kind of like a family really.

SA国际影视传媒�It was a big change going from the Arctic Circle to the Atlantic Ocean, but it was definitely something I'm glad I did for the past year and a half.SA国际影视传媒�