Nakita Rubuliak has never shied away from the outdoors. Like many ALES students, she is no stranger to Albertan wilderness, and she has a special love for the Rocky Mountains. She had never even considered going to France before, but the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to experience the Alps and to see how they compared to the Canadian Rockies.
For example, before Nakita began her internship, the director called her to prepare her for the shock he believed was in store for her.
"He said, 'I want you to understand, you're going to be isolated for six weeks.' So I said, 'Okay...is there still Wifi?' He said yes. 'Cell service?' He said yes. So I'm thinking, 'Isolated!? Isolated how?' she laughs.
"I spend a lot of time in the backcountry in Canada; I think I can handle it." Nakita explained." At this, the director laughed, saying, "Oh right, you Canadians are tough!"
Nakita quickly came to realize that the mountaineering culture was different in France than in Canada. "When you're exploring the mountains in Canada, you usually see nobody, and you're completely in the bush," Nakita explains. However, that isn't necessarily true with the Alps in Europe.
"There is no such thing as backcountry in the Alps, at least compared to the backcountry in Canada." All along the mountains of where Nakita worked and studied, there were was civilization: towns, huts, even shepherds with flocks of sheep. The Alpine French have embraced their mountains in their everyday life, and have built an entire unique culture around them.
"The biggest thing I noticed was the difference in perception surrounding wilderness," Nakita recalls.
Out of all the experiences she had in France, Nakita treasures her internship with the Alpine Botanical Garden of Lautaret the most. It's a botanical garden funded by the University of Grenoble, with its own research facility.
During her time interning, Nakita did research, as well as work in maintaining the garden. The garden is nestled right in the heart of the Alps--not only was she surrounded by a garden bursting with alpine flowers in full summer bloom, she also had a picturesque view of the mountain range in every direction she could look.
She and the other interns became a tight-knit bunch, and she forged special friendships with everyone. "Having those kinds of connections across the world," Nicolette recalls, "it's so special!"
Nakita fell in love with the Alps, but she says that they have made her appreciate the beauty of the Canadian wilderness in a new way.
The fact that the Alps are more developed than the Rockies is not necessarily a bad thing. It makes experiencing the mountains more accessible, and for a wider variety of people. It is much easier to hike and ski in the Alps in France than the Canadian Rockies because it's significantly cheaper and easier to get to. The Alps are not as remote as the Rockies, with roads coming right up to the mountains, the opportunities to hike, ski, or bike are everywhere. With the wide accessibility, mountaineering is engrained in the culture, and part of everyday life.
"I realized how lucky we are to have what we have," she reflects. "There is a sense of vastness here in Canada. In France, from what I experienced, you can definitely go to a space less occupied by people, but it won't be long until you come across a little alpine village or town. But that's what makes it so unique and quaint. France and Canada are both beautiful places, but for different reasons."