I dreamt of Africa
(Hopefully with a much happier ending than the movie)
Feeling rather unstoppable as a future marine biologist. Being awarded the SCTC scholarship really hammered home to me that I am doing a good job. Someone must believe in me, to give me some money! On Thursday I spent most of the afternoon at Loyola Marymount University doing urchin dissections with volunteers and staff members from Santa Monica Baykeeper, Santa Monica Bay Resoration Commission, and Ballona Wetlands Resoration Commission. Despite being covered in urchin gonads at the end of the session, it was one of the best days I've had in a while. Being enthusiastically received and thanked, and fitting in so well, was something I desperately needed. All day long I feel like an outcast, and working with Dr. Wilson left a bad taste in my mouth. I am finally feeling like I am on the right path.
I also just wrote to the Zavora Marine Lab in Mozambique about doing an internship there. The only time I can devote a full month is either over winter break or next summer, and I don't know if they're able to accommodate people at those times, but it's worth a shot. From what I understand, the reef there is pretty pristine, and so unexplored they're still finding new species. It's the ecology and reef monitoring that attracts me, but I certainly wouldn't mind studying manta rays and whale sharks. Check it out.
I'm meant to be studying for finals this weekend but I'm just too excited about summer being so near. Today was a beautiful day once the rain cleared up, and right now I'm listening to coyote pups playing somewhere on the hill.
Feeling rather unstoppable as a future marine biologist. Being awarded the SCTC scholarship really hammered home to me that I am doing a good job. Someone must believe in me, to give me some money! On Thursday I spent most of the afternoon at Loyola Marymount University doing urchin dissections with volunteers and staff members from Santa Monica Baykeeper, Santa Monica Bay Resoration Commission, and Ballona Wetlands Resoration Commission. Despite being covered in urchin gonads at the end of the session, it was one of the best days I've had in a while. Being enthusiastically received and thanked, and fitting in so well, was something I desperately needed. All day long I feel like an outcast, and working with Dr. Wilson left a bad taste in my mouth. I am finally feeling like I am on the right path.
I also just wrote to the Zavora Marine Lab in Mozambique about doing an internship there. The only time I can devote a full month is either over winter break or next summer, and I don't know if they're able to accommodate people at those times, but it's worth a shot. From what I understand, the reef there is pretty pristine, and so unexplored they're still finding new species. It's the ecology and reef monitoring that attracts me, but I certainly wouldn't mind studying manta rays and whale sharks. Check it out.
I'm meant to be studying for finals this weekend but I'm just too excited about summer being so near. Today was a beautiful day once the rain cleared up, and right now I'm listening to coyote pups playing somewhere on the hill.