Skowhegan, Maine, U.S.A. – On a hot Friday morning, we packed the car and headed north for a weekend in Québec City, Canada. The excursion was a mini Youth Journalism International trip with YJI co-founders and students. I was thrilled to be part of this journey.
Listen to the author read this article:
Over the years, I’d heard a lot about the Youth Journalism International conferences that took place in Istanbul, Prague, Mexico City and Cape Town. There were stories about the adventures and sense of community that brought students together. So when I got the chance to be part of an express version of a conference, I said yes without hesitating.
There was a lot of anticipation about the things we were going to see and learn about in Québec City, a city rich in culture and history. I have been on multiple occasions to Montreal, and although I got a taste of the European North American blend, I was excited to see what Québec City had to offer and was particularly excited about seeing the Old Town.
What was more exciting about the trip was the drive through Maine to Canada. The countless times I went to Canada, I always took the bus, which didn’t give me the chance to make stops or see much of Northern Maine, but once we had the control of our own wheels, we were able to take the routes we liked and make the stops we wanted.
Our first stop was in Skowhegan to glance at the iconic “Skowhegan Indian” sculpture.
At 63 feet high and nested behind a local Cumberland Farms convenience store, this work of art serves as a recognition of the First People who inhabited the land of Maine and, according to the sign, used it in “peaceful ways.”
Made out of white pine, wood, and steel, the sculpture depicts an Indian fisherman holding a fishing net. One of artist Bernard Langlais’ many sculptures around the city, it remains the most famous one, given its size and historical significance. It’s also one of the very few that remains in its initial location.
The weather-worn sculpture, however, has cost the town tens of thousands of dollars in repairs across the years, and its upkeep is a subject of debate within the town’s management.
After checking out the sculpture, we hit the road again, heading north, before we made a stop at Moxie Falls.
The word Moxie reminded me of Moxie Festival that takes place in Lisbon, Maine over the summer and promotes Moxie, a locally famous soft drink. But this place had nothing to do with that kind of Moxie.
We followed a mile-long trail by a river, exchanging greetings with fellow hikers. We made it to the scenic view and towards the end of the path, we encountered a series of wooden stairs that overlooked the falls.
Several people were swimming, enjoying the nice flow of the waterfall on their backs, taking advantage of the cool water to cope with the heat wave that struck the northeastern United States.
The stream stretches to Kennebec River Gorge, a famous kayaking and rafting destination.
The rest of our drive was a smooth ride across the border into the Canadian countryside and then, to Québec City.
Leith Chikh Rouhou is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International from Tunisia. He wrote this article and contributed the audio.
Carlos Fra-Nero is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International from Maine. He contributed photographs.
See more from this mini-series on Québec City:
