Bilaal Rajan – Global Ambassador
Bilaal Rajan, who will be attending Lakefield College this fall, is a children’s rights activist, author, motivational speaker, fundraiser and UNICEF children’s ambassador.
In 2004, Bilaal founded his own organization to heighten awareness of youth issues and raise money to help kids in need all over the world. Bilaal’s main goal is to have one million young people take action and get involved in protecting our environment. Bilaal's accomplishments and success principles became the content of his newly-published book, Making Change: Tips from an Underage Overachiever (www.makingchangenow.com) in which he discusses how he wants young people to learn how possible – and how much fun – it really is to make a difference. Bilaal firmly believes that environmental and social issues of the world are interrelated and need to be addressed together by the youth of the world by taking action now.
To-date, Bilaal’s efforts have raised millions of dollars for children’s programs throughout the world. Bilaal's motto is “Together, we can make a difference.” He believes this isn’t just a youthful dream, but our destiny.
In 2004, Bilaal founded his own organization to heighten awareness of youth issues and raise money to help kids in need all over the world. Bilaal’s main goal is to have one million young people take action and get involved in protecting our environment. Bilaal's accomplishments and success principles became the content of his newly-published book, Making Change: Tips from an Underage Overachiever (www.makingchangenow.com) in which he discusses how he wants young people to learn how possible – and how much fun – it really is to make a difference. Bilaal firmly believes that environmental and social issues of the world are interrelated and need to be addressed together by the youth of the world by taking action now.
To-date, Bilaal’s efforts have raised millions of dollars for children’s programs throughout the world. Bilaal's motto is “Together, we can make a difference.” He believes this isn’t just a youthful dream, but our destiny.
Day 1 - Home
July 28 2009
Dear Journal,
I am about to go to sleep and wake up to the day Student On Ice expedition to the Arctic starts – tomorrow – Woo Hoo! I am really supposed to start journaling about the expedition tomorrow but I am too excited about going so I’m beginning today. I don’t know if I will get any sleep tonight. I was able to make my parents dinner as a ...
I am about to go to sleep and wake up to the day Student On Ice expedition to the Arctic starts – tomorrow – Woo Hoo! I am really supposed to start journaling about the expedition tomorrow but I am too excited about going so I’m beginning today. I don’t know if I will get any sleep tonight. I was able to make my parents dinner as a ...
Day 2 - Ottawa
July 29 2009
Dear Journal,
Today was pretty interesting and cool. It started off late as I slept in a little, but it eventually sped up. We got to the airport in the early afternoon and found out that our flight to Ottawa had been delayed by 1 and ½ hours. No worries so I got a quick bite to eat in the meantime and then checked in. When I got to the gate, it turned out that the flight had been cancelled. The airline rescheduled us ...
Today was pretty interesting and cool. It started off late as I slept in a little, but it eventually sped up. We got to the airport in the early afternoon and found out that our flight to Ottawa had been delayed by 1 and ½ hours. No worries so I got a quick bite to eat in the meantime and then checked in. When I got to the gate, it turned out that the flight had been cancelled. The airline rescheduled us ...
Day 3 - Carleton University
July 30 2009
Dear Journal,
Today was awesome! We started with a behind the scenes tour of the Museum Of Nature. We saw dinosaur bones, plants, learnt about DNA testing and much, much more. It was an opportunity that not many people get and we learnt a lot. It filled up the whole morning and by the time lunch came along, we were all starving. We had ...
Today was awesome! We started with a behind the scenes tour of the Museum Of Nature. We saw dinosaur bones, plants, learnt about DNA testing and much, much more. It was an opportunity that not many people get and we learnt a lot. It filled up the whole morning and by the time lunch came along, we were all starving. We had ...
Day 4 - Ungava Bay
July 31 2009
Dear Journal,
We had a great day today even though it started off very early. We all woke up at 5:00 a.m. and headed out for the airport. It was a long flight and at least 11:00 a.m. before we arrived in Kujjuuaq, Northern Quebec. We got off the plane and walked 15 minutes into town even though we were promised a bus, but no one complained. As Geoff says, “Flexibility is the key!” We were given a tour of the small town which ...
We had a great day today even though it started off very early. We all woke up at 5:00 a.m. and headed out for the airport. It was a long flight and at least 11:00 a.m. before we arrived in Kujjuuaq, Northern Quebec. We got off the plane and walked 15 minutes into town even though we were promised a bus, but no one complained. As Geoff says, “Flexibility is the key!” We were given a tour of the small town which ...
Day 5 - Ungava Bay
August 1 2009
Dear Journal,
Today our ship was rocking and rolling and my stomach was doing the same thing. I officially became part of the horizontal group. Mike, an expedition staff member, created it to nickname all those people who had to lie down because of seasickness. We weren’t able to make it to our planned destination but we still got to have fun around ...
Today our ship was rocking and rolling and my stomach was doing the same thing. I officially became part of the horizontal group. Mike, an expedition staff member, created it to nickname all those people who had to lie down because of seasickness. We weren’t able to make it to our planned destination but we still got to have fun around ...
Day 6 - Cumberland Sound
August 2 2009
Dear Journal,
We stayed on the boat all day (no zodiac trips) but it was still a lot of fun. We did a lot of workshops to do with native Arctic games, geography, wildlife and much, much more. I was fortunate enough (and had a lot of fun) steering the ship through ice today! I learnt how to navigate and about the lookout, study and ...
We stayed on the boat all day (no zodiac trips) but it was still a lot of fun. We did a lot of workshops to do with native Arctic games, geography, wildlife and much, much more. I was fortunate enough (and had a lot of fun) steering the ship through ice today! I learnt how to navigate and about the lookout, study and ...
Day 7 - Pangnirtung Fjord
August 3 2009
Dear Journal,
Today was packed! We did so much that it seemed like 2 days instead of one. We landed twice, once at Kekerton Island, which was whaling station and once at Pangnirtung. They were both great experiences! At Kekerton, some people saw a polar bear. That’s the second time people have seen a polar bear and I haven’t – I’m not complaining but ...
Today was packed! We did so much that it seemed like 2 days instead of one. We landed twice, once at Kekerton Island, which was whaling station and once at Pangnirtung. They were both great experiences! At Kekerton, some people saw a polar bear. That’s the second time people have seen a polar bear and I haven’t – I’m not complaining but ...
Day 8 - Cumberland Sound
August 4 2009
Dear Journal,
Today we woke up to breathtaking views. We were anchored in a National Park where we would be hiking. After landing at 9 a.m., we had a little briefing about the area - about glaciers and the history of the National Park and the area. We then set off on our 10 Km hike which turned out to be quiet different than what I thought ...
Today we woke up to breathtaking views. We were anchored in a National Park where we would be hiking. After landing at 9 a.m., we had a little briefing about the area - about glaciers and the history of the National Park and the area. We then set off on our 10 Km hike which turned out to be quiet different than what I thought ...
Day 9
August 5 2009
Dear Journal,
Today was polar animals day. We woke up and anchored in a bay that was apparently just filled with whales. And they were right as we saw quite a few today (everyone on the boat it seemed was taking photos of them.) We also saw some loons, seals and many different types of birds. We were out on the deck pretty much the ...
Today was polar animals day. We woke up and anchored in a bay that was apparently just filled with whales. And they were right as we saw quite a few today (everyone on the boat it seemed was taking photos of them.) We also saw some loons, seals and many different types of birds. We were out on the deck pretty much the ...
Day 10 - Mercy Cape
August 6 2009
Dear Journal,
Hectic day today! I woke up at 4 a.m. to see the sunrise and I was justifiably rewarded - it was simply spectacular! It was so beautiful that it made me respect and appreciate the landscape even more! I went back to sleep and woke up to smell my favourite breakfast - chocolate chip pancakes. On the ship, I learnt that we were going ...
Hectic day today! I woke up at 4 a.m. to see the sunrise and I was justifiably rewarded - it was simply spectacular! It was so beautiful that it made me respect and appreciate the landscape even more! I went back to sleep and woke up to smell my favourite breakfast - chocolate chip pancakes. On the ship, I learnt that we were going ...
Day 11 - Unnamed Fjord
August 7 2009
Dear Journal,
Today was a late day. We came back to the ship after an extremely long but exciting day. We woke up to the rocking and rolling of the ship (and most of us have now have our sea legs) and went to eat breakfast. At our workshops, I learnt about astronomy and it’s interrelationship on how it affects global warming. (The sun’s UV radiation and the ...
Today was a late day. We came back to the ship after an extremely long but exciting day. We woke up to the rocking and rolling of the ship (and most of us have now have our sea legs) and went to eat breakfast. At our workshops, I learnt about astronomy and it’s interrelationship on how it affects global warming. (The sun’s UV radiation and the ...
Day 12 - Hall Peninsula
August 8 2009
Hey Everyone,
Today was just absolutely amazing and it isn’t even over. Aside from the fact that my hands are frozen stiff right now, we saw and were able to experience some amazing things. We woke up at our usual time, 7:30, had breakfast and then tried to sail to Monumental Island. We later found out that it was too choppy there and so we decided to head to some ice to look for walrus since we had already seen polar bears yesterday. We saw ...
Today was just absolutely amazing and it isn’t even over. Aside from the fact that my hands are frozen stiff right now, we saw and were able to experience some amazing things. We woke up at our usual time, 7:30, had breakfast and then tried to sail to Monumental Island. We later found out that it was too choppy there and so we decided to head to some ice to look for walrus since we had already seen polar bears yesterday. We saw ...
Day 13 - Heading away from Hanchtz Island
August 9 2009
Dear Journal,
Today was ummm …. an interesting day? We started off half hour earlier than usual with a plan to take a couple of zodiac cruises. We had breakfast and went on the first cruise but unfortunately the second one didn’t happen (remember the flexibility, right Geoff?). But on the one and only zodiac cruise, I must say that it was a lot of fun. We first had a presentation on snow and ice. We learnt about how glaciers are ...
Today was ummm …. an interesting day? We started off half hour earlier than usual with a plan to take a couple of zodiac cruises. We had breakfast and went on the first cruise but unfortunately the second one didn’t happen (remember the flexibility, right Geoff?). But on the one and only zodiac cruise, I must say that it was a lot of fun. We first had a presentation on snow and ice. We learnt about how glaciers are ...
Day 14 - Kimmirut
August 10 2009
Hey Everyone,
Today was another amazing day! But then again, when isn’t it on this expedition, I wonder? We started our day again at 7:30 and had a great breakfast. We then headed to an inlet where we landed and just got swarmed by mosquitoes. There were at least 100 mosquitoes on every person so we all got nets that saved our lives. We would have all been bitten to death if it wasn’t for the nets. On the inlet we ...
Today was another amazing day! But then again, when isn’t it on this expedition, I wonder? We started our day again at 7:30 and had a great breakfast. We then headed to an inlet where we landed and just got swarmed by mosquitoes. There were at least 100 mosquitoes on every person so we all got nets that saved our lives. We would have all been bitten to death if it wasn’t for the nets. On the inlet we ...
Day 15 - Nannuk Harbour
August 11 2009
Dear Journal,
Today was unfortunately our last landing of the trip. Time has really moved fast in the past two weeks, but as they say, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” We landed at Nannuk Harbour in the morning and basically spent most of our day there. We landed shortly after breakfast and split up into our action groups. After about an hour of discussion, we shared everything we had discussed with the rest of the group and ...
Today was unfortunately our last landing of the trip. Time has really moved fast in the past two weeks, but as they say, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” We landed at Nannuk Harbour in the morning and basically spent most of our day there. We landed shortly after breakfast and split up into our action groups. After about an hour of discussion, we shared everything we had discussed with the rest of the group and ...
Day 16 - Iqaluit and Carleton University, Ottawa
August 12 2009
Dear Journal,
Today was both a good and bad day of sorts. It started off in Iqaluit, where we woke up anchored. I woke up earlier than anyone else as I had a live interview at 6:00 in the morning with CP24 in Toronto. It was kind of weird doing an interview about the trip while in Iqaluit as people were listing to it live in Toronto. The interview wasn’t too long but as long as the message of taking action on environmental issues is ...
Today was both a good and bad day of sorts. It started off in Iqaluit, where we woke up anchored. I woke up earlier than anyone else as I had a live interview at 6:00 in the morning with CP24 in Toronto. It was kind of weird doing an interview about the trip while in Iqaluit as people were listing to it live in Toronto. The interview wasn’t too long but as long as the message of taking action on environmental issues is ...
Day 17 - Home
August 13 2009
Dear Journal,
Not as many tears were shed today as yesterday. Most people woke up at 6:00 to see everyone who was leaving earlier than them. Most people had cried themselves dry the earlier day or had gotten used to people leaving. In a sense it was a good thing, because when one person cries so do others ...
Not as many tears were shed today as yesterday. Most people woke up at 6:00 to see everyone who was leaving earlier than them. Most people had cried themselves dry the earlier day or had gotten used to people leaving. In a sense it was a good thing, because when one person cries so do others ...
