As part of our GCK training day, we had the privilege of listening to a guest speaker, WOI Ingjaldson, who is a graduated 41 cadet and Saskatchewan’s representative for the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE). In her engaging presentation, she shared her experiences from her exchange trip this summer in the United States. She took the cadets on a captivating journey, recounting her visits to significant places like Arlington Cemetery and the Pentagon in the US Capitol. She also explored locations such as Andrews Joint Airforce base and a summer training camp run by the US equivalent to Cadets, the Civil Air Patrol. By the end of her tour she’d been seen parts of Washington, Maryland, Delaware and both Virginias.
However, her presentation went beyond just the places she visited. The most treasured aspect of her experience became evident as Ingjaldson spoke. It was the meaningful connections she formed with people she met during the tour and the friendships she developed with her peers from across Canada, the US, the UK, and New Zealand. Many of these friendships continue even after the trip, as she stays in regular contact with her course mates.
Overall, the presentation offered valuable insights into the opportunities available for those interested in applying for IACE in the future. She emphasized that the path to being selected requires hard work, excellent school grades, and embodying the exemplary qualities that Cadets represents. According to her, the effort invested is undoubtedly worthwhile!