March 11th... Night Snorkel!

March 11, 2010
I am dressed head-to-toe in black spandex sitting cheek to cheek with 9 other students on a motorboat being guided only by a 2 inch window of light from a headlight. Disoriented, I don’t know which way is north and which way is south. I felt like I was in outer space- I didn’t know where the ocean ended and the starry night began. I was being lightly sprayed by salt water, but my eyes are used to it now and no longer burn. The only sounds I hear are the boat smacking on the hard ocean surface and the squeaking of rubber fins on the boat floor. “Where is the buoy!?” Dave, our boat driver’s voice pierced through the surreal night. At that moment, 10 lights shone forth onto the black sea and panned rapidly in an attempt to be the first to find the reflecting floating ball anchored in the strong current. All of a sudden silver streaks were skipping across the water left and right and disappearing into the dark ocean beneath us. They were all sizes, some as large at my arm. They looked almost like a needle. They were streamline, and could disappear and reappear as often and easily as they liked. They were gorgeous jumping fish. I have seen them a few times before in the daylight, and even then they seem to disappear in the waves. But tonight they were dancing all around the boat. All of a sudden Dave’s radio crackled and Chelsea, the intern, chimed in on the other line. “I don’t think we can find it tonight, let’s head over to Shark Alley.” Shark Alley… at night!? My heart sank just a little bit. I am not scared of the ocean any more, but it is a different sea at night. No longer do I have the comfort of being able to stand up at Admirals Cove, the dive site we were supposed to be at. Now, there is a rapid current, smashing waves against rigid rocks, and over 15 feet of water underneath me- not to mention sharks. The boat cheered in excitement, but the moment we arrived on site there was silence. Now, I am not afraid of much, and sharks are not high on the small list I do have. However, the fact that right before we anchored a student felt the need to hum the Jaws theme song really did not help. We anchored, and while I waited for comforting advice all I got was “don’t swim too closely to the rocks, don’t swim too far out or you won’t be able to swim against the current to get back, yell if you need me yell and I will try and find you, and have fun!” Lights went on, masks were pulled down faces, and one by one people splashed into the blackness below. My snorkel buddy, Aubrey, jumped in so quickly it didn’t give me a chance to re-evaluate my escape plans. Escape plans may be silly, but are essential to survival! The only thing I had was if Jaws came at me I am knocking it in the nose with my night light. While I type that now, it is pretty ridiculous, but it made me comforted at the time!
I plunged in and there was a rush of cold water starting at my feet and going all the way up to my neck. I turned my light on, and we were off! Within moments I saw what I had wanted to see for a month… His legs were protruding out of his body and moving rapidly as he ran through the water. His eyes were glowing red due to the reflection of my light. He was adorable, he was a shrimp! I put my hand out and he rested for just a moment and jumped off and ran into the shadows. I looked around and it was breath-taking. This snorkel site that I have visited before was entirely new and different. The corals were out in full bloom because they feed at night. You could see each and every corallite extending out and pulling in whatever algae floated by. The sea floor was filled with hundreds of red eyes reflecting from my light. I didn’t have to swim much at first; I just let the strong current take me wherever it wanted. Trying to keep my light steady was the hardest part. While we were out there for our hour of fun I saw over a dozen lobsters taking refuge in rocks and overhanging corals. I saw a two foot spotted moray eel. An enormous crab with legs at least a foot and a half long. I saw Hermit crabs and conch pulling themselves over and around hard corals. I was so wrapped up on the sights that I forgot where I was heading. I popped my head out and above the waves and could not see a thing. All I saw were night lights sprinkled about in the waves. No boat. No Dave. Aubrey swam up next to me and grabbed my hand and pulled me back under the water. It was so reassuring! That was the moment I shed all doubt. It was as if a motor just turned on and I was swimming everywhere! Of course Aubrey and I pushed the boundaries and swam towards and a little past the rocks. When we finally decided to turn back I readjusted my light in front of me, and in that brief moment I saw something move beneath me. When I pointed my light down I saw an intricate, shell splashed with colors of green and brown. There were four little flippers straining to push against the current and then two little eyes peered up towards my light. A sea turtle!!! He swam towards the light, and I could have reached out and touched him he was so close. He just looked at me, stared with his large brown eyes turned his head and swam off into the shadows. That will never happen to me again.
We arrived back at the boat and as I pulled off my mask I had the biggest grin on my face. The ocean never ceases to amaze me.

Pictures by Chris Koppl

Below is a picture of a lobster taking shelter under a rock. We see this guys occasionally, and they range in every size. I saw one that was 2+ feet once! He was enormous. I hope the fisherman do not find him!!

Below is the under-belly of a spotted eagle ray (aetobatus narinari) They are gorgeous, especially when they fly through the water. One thing I learned the other day is that they love to jump out of the water!!! I was hanging out at the dock one night and heard an enormous splash that sounded like someone belly-flopped! I asked my professor later on and he said "Oh yea, that was probably just an eagle ray..."

Flamingos!

March 8th 2010

Our back yard on a gorgeous sunny day! The island that you see in the distance is called Long Cay. We snorkel there as well as do beach clean-ups on the weekends. Some of the students and I plan to swim to a nearby island this weekend and picnic! I will let you know how it goes

March 8, 2010
Hey guys!
Sorry it has been so long since I have updated my blog. This past week was ridiculous! I had three midterms in a period of three days. As soon as I was finished with one exam, I was studying for the next one. The exams were not horrible; they just required a lot of writing. The exams here in general are decent. The ID exams were tough because I was not used to knowing that much information. I was shocked that I retained all of it, and was able to do a great job on the exams. The tests also did not feel like tests. We were flopping around in the water while our instructor pointed out organisms to identify. It was a challenge to write in the water because the current would be pulling you every which way, but it was a great time. I do suggest that if you are coming on this trip or one very similar that you get the biggest slate possible to write on. I have an 8 by 11 and I still feel as though I could use more room.
Besides all the academic jazz, I went to a church concert last week and it was fantastic! It was a very small church, but all the schools were invited (k-12) and the community, and we all found a way to fit inside. People were standing in the isles, along the wall, and outside. There were bishops that were flown in from Provo and performances by the children. It was education week in TCI and each school was performing. There were interpretive dances, bands, duets, and the young kids sang a song about the Lord. They were adorable! Half of them were passed out in the pew before they were about to perform, they could not hold a beat, and they were all looking for the reassuring smiles of their parents. We were there for 2 hours before we had to leave for class again. A typical service here can last anywhere from an hour to 8 hours on a Sunday. Everyone here abides by “island time” meaning things start when they feel like starting.
I went to a Dance-0-Rama this past Thursday at the Regatta. The Regatta was built for the Queen of England when she came to visit many years ago. She came to tell the people of South Caicos how important tourism was and that the community should get involved. Now the Regatta is used for community events. So this past Thursday was a fundraiser for the Iris Stubbs elementary school. It was a $5 entry fee and over 15 performances- Everything from a ballet piece to mainly hip hop. The music was amazing, I’d never heard it before! The locals here are so friendly that one of them, Conrad, gave his ipod to a student to download his music. At the dance-0-rama the MC asked for crowd participation to dance the Macarena. My two friends and I danced. They called us the School for Field Studies crew. Little kids danced with us too, and they killed us! These kids can really shake it! I had my first Conch fritter experience there as well as sweet potato bread. Conch is delicious. Plain and simple. A conch fritter are dough balls that have conch inside. And the sweet potato bread was as heavy as a brick. We stayed for a good two hours before we decided to head back to finish studying.

March 5/6th

This is the nurse shark we saw while swimming

The aerial view of the nurse shark along with her cleaners hanging onto her fins

This is a Falmingo Tongue (Cyphoma gibbosum)

This is a long spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum)

March 5/6, 2010
On Friday we went for a snorkel and did research on a transect line. We are beginning to get into field research techniques including conch assessment, transect lines, and then our directed research projects! On Friday we went out into groups of four with a professor. We placed a measuring tape down on the benthic layer (or bottom) of the ocean. Then in groups of two we swam within two feet of the line and calculated how many fish we saw; groupers, snappers, wrasses, etc. Then we swam down the transect line again and counted how many echinodermatas (sea urchins), Annelidas (worms) or other (sharks, rays, barracuda) things we saw. I only found one long-spined sea urchin and a flamingo tongue. We spent a good hour or so out in the water and I only counted 3 fish on the transect line, a flamingo tongue, and a sea urchin. It was a rough day. We were told that at the end of all of this we can apply to get our ID cards and they are valid for life. Then we can go out for certain companies, strictly volunteering, and calculate fish populations.

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On Saturday we went out for a fun snorkel and saw beautiful things! I saw an 8 foot nurse shark that I got to swim with. She was so close to me I could have reached out and touched her. The way she moved through the water was so graceful, and I was working so hard against the current to catch up. Then she ducked down and hid in a cave. There were very large cracks in the cave and if you looked through the holes you could see her tail and gills. She was breathing so much it was crazy watching her take the air in and then release it. We also saw a beautiful spotted eagle ray off in the distance. There was also a little southern stingray eating at the benthic layer of the ocean. (Again meaning the bottom). He was being followed by yellowtail snappers because while he was trying to find food he was digging up the bottom exposing food for the fish. Right before we got back on the boat there was a school of barracuda. They are so creepy to watch in the water because they just freeze and watch you. There were at least 30 ranging in all sizes. I swam pretty close to them. They don’t attack; they are just territorial and curious. It is so quiet under water that it adds to the eeriness of any situation. So being in a school of barracuda with over 60 eyes looking at you is pretty strange. Still a gorgeous site.

March 1st and 2nd

Myself and the brownies! These girls are little divas

March 1, 2010
It has officially been one month! I cannot believe how the time has flown. It is crazy to think I have been here for 1/3 of the trip! Upon arrival one month ago I would not have expected to be where I am now. I was scared out of my mind, and seeing the blank expressions on the other students’ faces didn’t help either. However, I don’t know if I want to leave! The hardest part for me was getting here. The realization did not hit me until I was here for about 2 days… It is an amazing experience, but going somewhere with other students is a lot easier than going on your own. Looking back, I am glad I did this, and wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am even looking into internships abroad or even the Peace Corps. That is a long while from now; at least I like to think so.

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March 2010
This week I went to Brownies on Wednesday which is the elementary school. This week they asked us to read children’s stories to them. I took “Where the Wild Things Are,” “The Giving Tree,” and “Akimbo and the Lion.” They loved “where the wild things are” and I asked them when the story was all over to make their wild noises, and their sounds filled the classroom and traveled through doors and walls into the other classes! Oops. They are adorable, every time when we walk up to their school they run to the windows and smoosh against the glass waving. They also bust through the doors and run up and hug you or pull you every which way to show you something.
I also went to the bank that day. The bank is only open once a week on Wednesday for 3 hours. The lines are ridiculous, this week it was a 2 hour wait. The guards were in full gear that day, guns and everything. I tried to snap a picture of the one guard but in my attempt to do it without him looking it turned out a little blurry. He also noticed. When I was done with my transaction and walking out of the bank he said “Are you going to print me out a copy of that picture?” Ah, busted…
On our way back to the center my friend Katelyn and I decided to walk by way of the abandoned salt flats and check out the wild flamingos! We hiked through the flats for a good half hour until we were close enough to get a good shot. We also had to be very cautious of the quick sand. My friend Aubrey fell into the quick sand last week after basketball and had to be pulled out by a local! So we walked very carefully! It turned out to be a great success. So all together on the island I have seen wild cats, dogs, falcons, jumping fish, lizards, iguanas, horses, flamingos, enormous spiders, stingrays, sharks… everything but a whale! It is whale migrating season, and the scuba divers have seen them, and I am determined to see one before we leave! Fingers crossed! Thanks for tuning in guys!

February 23rd. The Worst Weather Ever!

Hey Followers!

I just realized I should probably include dates with my blog updates! Today is February 23^rd. It is officially the crummiest day here weather wise. The waves are ridiculous today, and our snorkel ID session was even canceled because of it. Most probably a good idea otherwise I would have drifted out to sea. However, I still managed to get burned! It is a nice breezy change from the pounding sun. I do realize I take the nice weather for granted sometimes. None the less, today has been an eventful day full of studying for my coral exam this Friday!!! We have about 60 or so corals that we need to know. It is difficult to differentiate between some species of coral because they look so similar, and the only way to tell the difference could be something as miniscule as hairs or holes on their stalks. My mind is also saying “I need a break” which is not helpful either. I just have to keep telling myself “one more!”

In other academic news, I find out soon whether or not I get the direct research project of my choosing! I chose to write a justification for the usage of the invasive lionfish as a marine aquarium species for US market. This project will be a lot of hands on with the public and primarily on land (not that I do not want to be in the water!). What I really want to do in life is environmental education. (An excerpt from my justification…) It is through environmental education that the global society can best be impacted. If we can educate the locals on the importance of conserving their marine ecosystem while giving them positive incentives and economic alternatives, we can begin to make a change for the better. I know I cannot please everyone, and I am fully aware I may never change the way things are run around here, however, the fact that I can plant even the slightest thought in their minds is motivation enough.

I used to get to angry when I could not make people understand and follow my ideas and views. However, after working at the Philly Zoo as an interpreter I realized you cannot always change the way people think. The most you can do is plant the seed of knowledge and hopefully they will choose to take the next step. It is a domino effect, and it will take a long time to complete.

Every experience I get under my belt points me in the right direction for my future. I used to want to be a vet, then a marine biologist, then a conservationist, and as of now, I would love to be an environmental educator promoting conservation. I would not mind traveling and doing things similar to what I am doing now for the rest of my life. I would be perfectly content living in a small, one story house (or shack even J) if I could wake up every morning doing something I love. With all that being said, I am eagerly awaiting the professor’s decisions for the projects. Fingers crossed!

Besides today being extremely windy… it was a great success! I went to a local variety store, which is much different than what you are all used to. Their variety stores are usually old run down garages or small sheds with rickety doors, colorful paint peeling off, and mismatched roofs. However, they have the best things! Today I found a BABYRUTH! And for those of you who truly know me, that is my favorite candy bar. Halloween time I would always trade my brother and friends for them. I would hike high and low from 8pm- midnight just to have a satisfying babyruth candy bar. I also got a delicious can of pineapple banana juice. On the walk back we saw the pack of puppies that live across the street at a water hole just outside the center. All but one ran at the sight of us. The other ran right up, tail wagging; tongue out as if he were smiling. I know it is permitted, but I ran in and made up a piece of peanut butter bread for the little guy. He was also pretty mangled up I am sure from other dogs on the island. It is sad, but it is a way of life- Similarly to the Savannah where lions would claim dominance. Some dogs’ fight, others run, and someone always gets hurt. He seems like he is healing up just fine though!

The rest of the day should be a relaxing one. I have a lot of studying to do, but I am slowly learning the material just like before! I am shocking myself that I can remember things, and it is amazing to be floundering around in the ocean and recognize things! I get to apply everything daily. By the way, my last fish exam I scored an 85% which I am thrilled about!!! That was by far the hardest one, but I worked hard and it payed off.

Stay tuned!

More Photos!

This is one of the many Eagle Rays that we see when we are snorkeling around Shark Alley.

This is my friend Aubrey on our valentines day! We made conch center pieces for the dinner we had. There was also a guitarist, Danny, who played while we ate. It was fantastic

On Valentines day I was in charge of making the meals along with my kitchen crew. Here I am mixing up batter for double chocolate cupcakes with pink frosting. For breakfast we had pink pancakes, eggs, bacons and sausage. Delicious! I have never cooked for 38 people before, but it was so much fun! We listened to island music the whole time.


One day we were on our way to get some ice cream from the shop on the top of the hill, and we ran itno this lil guy crossing the road. He was so happy to get off the hot pavement!

This is our saltwater swimming pool, as well as our back yard. We are all cramming for the exam that was Friday. The shack that you see is the dive shed where we house all of our equiptment. Past that is the girls wing.

Catch up!

Hey guys! It has been a while and I apologize! Things have been so hectic here. I had my fish Id exam on Friday, and it was so hard! I had to memorize 72 fish, again their taxonomic group and their scientific name. I knew about 65 down pack, and of course was tested on the other 7 i didnt have a clue about! However, when we would be swimming around, and my instructor Elisa would point out a fish to identify for the exam and I didnt know it, I would quickly swim over and scare it under a rock! I only did it once, but I did know it was a grouper. I know I got a few wrong, sadly, but I spoke to my instructor about it later that evening and she said I did very well and need not worry. This weeks exam is on coral, which should be easier because it does not move, but it shall be much harder because there are over 90 we need to know by Friday. So I am starting today. This week is also the start of our Directed Research projects in which we have to write a justification exaplining which one(s) we want to do. There is one on Lionfish, in which we go out and hunt them, there is another on Lobsters and their survival, in which we build habitats. The one I want to do is a single student project for Environmental Policy. You do research on Lionfish and the want for them in Amercia. For instance, buying them offline, shipping them to pet stores or aquariums. This project is looking into alternative modes of income for the belongers on the island. I would really like to do that one because it deals with environmental education and the community. Hopefully my justification kicks butt!!!

Besides all that jazz. I have been going on snorkel trips to Shark Alley and saw my first sea turtle!!! He was gorgeous. (Pictures are posted below). He was a young one, maybe a foot or so in length, and when we saw him he was latched onto the coral reef for support. When I dove down to get a closer look he didnt move, he just checked me out as well. The amazing thing about the ocean is that the fish and marine creatures will continue to do their thing while you admire. It is not like bird watching in which they will fly away. You just hover over them, and when they realize you are not threat, they continue with their actions; i.e. mating, eating, swimming... i also saw a gorgeous eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari). They are unlike anything you have ever seen in the water. They just glide through the water. It is almost as if the water parts for them. I was also fortunate enough to see an 8 foot nurse shark hanging out under a ledge. When my instructor Jim pointed her out he said we could dive down and get a closer look, and everyone was so nervous to! i just dove right down, and could literally reach out and touch her. Her mouth was at least a foot and a half wide. As we dove down one by one, she would just watch us and occasionally swing her tail just to reposition herself. It was fantastic! I am heading back out today! Every time youre in the water you see something really sweet; sea turtles, vibrant fish, sharks, etc.

As for yesterday, Saturday Feb 20th, it was community day. Last week i chose to play volleyball with the kids. Sadly, only one was interested enough to play until three kids took over to play football. I did have a chance to play ping pong with some high school students, only after being schooled i find out they are the potential national team. Every year TCI has a national ping pong championship, and they like to practice with the SFS kids. I am getting significantly better, and am learning how to top spin!!! However, yesterday, I signed up for swim lessons. 15 kids showed up for 5 people. The staff gave me two every time. They were a blast though, and quite a work out. I did swallow a lot of water from it, but what doesnt kill you makes you stronger! This one kid DJ was always swimming with a pool noodle, but in the end I got him to swim across the pool without it! Occasionally he would feel the need to latch onto me in the deepend of all places, and I wuold go down! Almost drowning me! I told him kindly not to do so, but he didnt listen, so the next time I took the liberty of dunking him. Never happened again... They are a blast though, I am certainly doing it next week.

I have to get going to start studying and writin those papers! Stay tuned!

Sean wanted to See a Sea Turtle and Here He Is

The baby turtle we got to check out! There is a turtle that is famous here on south caicos named Suzy, and she is a 340 pound sea turtle that has been tagged, and she comes back every year to the same spot. Go suzy, go!

Sea Bath and Snorkel Photo

We are allowed to go into the ocean whenever we want. My friends and I are in there every day! We like to see how many sand dolla$ we can collect, my record is 37!

My friends Crissy, Katelyn and myself taking a sea bath! It is difficult to do laundry in the ocean, because everything floats everywhere! Pants one way and shirts the other, its a workout to clean your clothes!

Updates from Down South!

(The Little Ray we got to swim with!)

(One of the many puppies that are wild on the island, I feed him peanut butter as often as I can!)

(The giant lobster at the fishery place!)

(BRUNSKIE! The center dog)

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! This morning I had to get up early to make breakfast. I am on kitchen duty today with two other students, and when that “duty” falls on a Sunday, we have to make breakfast and dinner, clean all the dishes, restock the food, etc. It takes up quite a lot of time, but it is fun because we were playing the Lion King while making pink pancakes, eggs, crispy bacon and sausage! It was great. Tonight we are planning on having a fun valentines dinner! We are going to make name place settings, have conch flower centerpieces, tea lights, and a student plays the guitar so he is going to play while the staff and students sit down. Then we are making chocolate cupcakes for desert with pink icing and sprinkles with iced X’s and O’s.

Other than that, this week has been amazing! The work load is very difficult, but I am starting to get on top of it which helps. I get to bed no later than midnight, and up by 6:30. I have started running with people around the island, and was shocked that I was leading the pack while running. I didn’t expect that swimming daily would have such an impact. I am getting stronger in the water as a swimmer, and am building up my lung as well. When I free dive I can stay down for a much longer time than I could when I first arrived. The other day we were flopping around in the water for fun and saw a little ray! He was so cute. He was just burrowing and eating and I got eye to eye with him. I was so close I could reach out and touch him. We didn’t disturb him though, we just swam with him. It is amazing the change that I have already seen. I used to go into the ocean and collect as many shells as possibly, stomp around, etc. Now, the moment I step in I want to go out into the deep and check out the sharks and barracuda. I still love checking out shells, but always make sure to put them right back! You never know what is a lil fishes home, and what they use these things for.

The salt water is treating me well, but I cannot say the same for my clothes. They are getting stiff, but the moment I get em on and walk around a bit, they loosen right up. I got some braids in my hair the other day at the Hispanic salon. My friend Katelyn is getting her whole head done!!! I am beginning to pick up on things that they say in Spanish, and can someone respond back. It is sad that in high school I always wondered when am I ever going to use this (Spanish)?! I wish now that I paid more attention.

I have been learning so much from the locals. We went to the fish processing plant on Thursday for a “field-trip.” It was a block from the center. Everything is so close! We met the guy in charge, his name is Blow. He showed us that the boats come right up, unload their stock, get it weighed, and then it is immediately wheeled up a steep hill to be picked apart by the workers. The fisherman gets paid per pound- Anything from conch to lobster. However, when we were there we noticed the fisherman was using illegal things; spear guns and hooks. You are only allowed to collect conch by hand. These guys look through something that looks like a giant mirror that reflects the bottom of the ocean floor, and they can see the animals. They find a conch, then from their boats without even getting wet, they place a hook into the water attached to a pole. They use the hook to scoop the conch right up, and off they go. I did get to hold an enormous lobster (I will try to get the picture up ASAP)

I was also talking to a local named Dwainie, and he said that earlier that morning people killed his dog. There are hundreds of dogs wondering the island, and apparently people trap them and immediately put them to sleep without asking if they belong to anyone. It is really upsetting, because you start to notice and remember faces and animals, and then all of a sudden their not there anymore. We have our center dog, Bruno, and he has a collar on him so they know he belongs to someone. In reality he is a stray just like the rest, but he is so sweet and kind the staff did that. My friend and I were walking the other day back to the center at night, and we started to hear growling, and Bruno came running at us out of nowhere! We seized up, but then heard a growling coming from behind. Apparently a dog (who was harmless) was following us to the center, and Bruno didn’t like that very much. So Brunskie scared him off and then came trotting back up to us wagging his tail, tongue out. It is nice to know that he will protect us if there was any real danger! Otherwise the dogs here are harmless. They are more scared of us than we are of them. The puppies are adorable though, they just immediately role on their backs and like their tummies rubbed. I always leave a few peanut butter sandwiches around the island, and of course one for Bruno at the center steps. Today he got the left over pancakes!

Alright, I still have 50 pages of socio economic reading to get through before I have to make dinner!!! Stay tuned. X0x0X

PS- aced my first ID exam; 97%

What a great day!

(On a snorkel trip, the "shell" or cast of a crab!)

Today was a big day, I had my first Identification exam, and I totally aced it! We had to know 45 organisms, their scientific name, and their higher taxonomic group and we were tested on 20. We did all three mangroves; Red (Rhizapora mangle), White (Laguncalaria rocemosa) and black (Avicennia germinans), we covered three fish; Damsel adult (Stegastes TP) and Damsel juvenile (Stegastes IP), and the Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus apodus). Just a side note, when you are characterizing fish you either pit IP meaning Initial phase, or baby, or you write TP meaning terminal phase, or adult. We also saw a lot of algae, a starfish, and several more. It took us about 45 minutes, and we left at 9:00am. The water was surprisingly warm, but I still wore my wet suit! You can never be too careful. If I could do something differently about packing, it would have been to get another rash guard, and a shorty wet suit. Sometimes the weather is just right for the in between of a rash guard, and a long wet suit. Remember last blog I told ya the difference! Aside from the exam, I had a quiz right when I got back to campus in socioeconomic policy with Pete Parker (not the superhero). He is so cool; he did work in Tibet for the forest, and then decided to try his luck down here. He is very intelligent and knows his stuff, and is very engaging.

The professors and staff here in general are great! We have a morning meeting everyday at 7:50am so we can discuss the weather, the day, and community plans. Outside of class, the professors are just other adults here. We play ping pong with them, watch movies with them, play volleyball and basketball, or whatever. It is very laid back and it is a wonderful respectable atmosphere. Once you enter the classroom they are your mentor, guide, and teacher, but once we leave they are your friend. It is great to have that.

Besides all that, everything is going great, and I am finally getting in the swing of balancing social, volunteering, snorkeling, and school work! It is nice to have a break from all the clubs, and meetings and UC life. Not that I do not miss it. However, one thing I notice as I look around the classroom at all of the students, is that if we all went to school together to a place like UC or Niagara, most of us would not speak to each other. We are all so dynamic and different. We would be in our own clubs, Greek life, etc. However, here we are a family, and we are all so accepting. I was so nervous my first night here. I kept asking myself what I got myself into, why I thought this was such a good idea. I realized I had two options… (1) Go home or (2) Swallow the nerves and shine. I was talking to a few kids about their thoughts the night before they flew down, and the night upon arrival, and they all said they were scared out of their minds. A lot of them were crying, some I did not even see because they did not come out of their room. The moral of all this “deep” stuff is you are never the only one. Whether you are joining the military, going abroad in the future, interning, or plan on moving because of a job, you are never the only one feeling the way you do. There will always be people that are scared, lonely, excited, etc. Just be you.

Alright, well class is over! It is time for lunch, I am starving. I am always so hungry after a snorkel; you really work out without even knowing it. It is all leg work. Today I am going to swim some laps in the ocean from the pier to the buoy then a few girls and I are going on a run before dinner. I am going to try to start working out if I get time to. Especially since we will be going to the bar tonight for Arties birthday, he is 21 (not that is matters too much here).

My Day with the Brownies

Today was our community day here at the center in which we all sign up to do something and go some place within the community. We can chose from an array of things; Mural painting, music, ESL, swim lessons, sports, Brownies, etc. On Wednesdays we go to them, and on saturdays they are invited to come to our campus for 2 hours! I signed up (on wednesdays) for Brownies and Mural painting. The picture below is an example of what brownies is. Brownines are what the little kids program is called, we work with 4-7 year olds and just go hang out with them. We play sports, or just talk with them. Today was sports day, and that will go until March 11. The school coned off (or blocked off) the road the school was on, and the kids raced up and down the street. There had to be at least 50 kids, easy. They all go to school in a place with 3 classrooms tops, and one male and one female bathroom. They all have their little uniforms on, and occasionally the boys wear a tie and the girls wear a dress over the light blue button-up. I dont know how they do it! I was wearing a T-shirt and shorts and was boiling! It is not even the summer, they said in the summer it gets to triple digits all the time! so today I just got to know the kids and in this picture they are convincing me to get my hair braided. So today I went to the hair salons around the island and got prices on braids, and tomorrow I will have a few! They were very convincing. They love my skin and hair color, and it is not just them. In the convenience stores they have skin whitening soap and shampoo that makes your hair flow like "a nonislander." My one friend might get her whole head! My other friend got a dred, i am not that bold. Quick fact, Bob Marley had 13 types of lice in his dreds, and they discovred two new types!!! So, no, not happening. It was so fun hanging out with the kids. The school system is different too, I have not found out too much about that yet though, but i will keep you all updated. As far as sanitation goes, when you arrive on the island all sense of that goes out the window. Yea, you brush your teeth every night, but there is no shaving, no hair products and straightening, and no one wears makeup! It is actually great to not have to worry about that, i just roll out of bed in the morning and am good to go, and the locals find it more attractive when you are 0-natural. They like the bigger ladies too, they have a Miss Big competition on the island every year! I saw a picture and she is gorgeous!! As far as showers go, there are not a lot of freshwater sources here, they just use straight tap. Our taps at the center are freshwater though just so the students dont get sick. However, when we go to the bars, the ice cubes are not filtered, so you have to be careful. But hey, you need to eat your pound of dirt a day right!? Besides brownies i signed up for mural painting, volleyball, and dominos! Bring it on!

A few more photos!

Top: Some of the girls i hang out with, there are so many, but i have not gotten a group shot yet!

Next: Me on the boat! Getting ready to head out and check out some rays!

Learning dominos! I have been referred to as the domino queen, i am starting to get really good at it! When you walk around all you hear and see are the belongers playing! they also attach clothespins on their ears and lips if they lose! i have not gotten that into it yet, but i am willing to try!

On the boat heading to one of our many destinations in the water for our identification reviews!

Test is tomorrow!!! Wish me luck!

How are Lionfish harmful to Humans?

I was asked in my blog how a lionfish can be harmful to humans; well first off, a lionfish is a venomous marine animal. They are actually one of the most venomous fish in the ocean. They have dorsal spines which are used for defense but contain the venom. When they feel as though they are being challenged or threatened, they they will face us in an upside stance and bear its spines. The sting itself is not deadly to humans, but it is extremely painful. You will feel sick as a dog; headaches, vomiting, and even shortness of breath. All we can do at the center is soak the wound in hot water, and the hospitals here do not carry treatments for it. You should go to the hospital in case you have a bad reaction to the venom if you even encounter one! However, here on the island we have on general hospital, which has very little medications. If it is something very serious, it is a 20 minute flight to Provo, but they need a 24 hour notice. So pretty much we should not touch anything, and we have to rough it if we get stuck. I have not gotten too hurt, i have all these bites all over me from sand fleas, red aunts, and mo-skeets! the salt water works wonders though!!! alrighty, take care, and thanks for the question!!!

Just an Update!

Dear followers,

I have been on the island for one week and the time just flew! I have made friends with all 28 students and staff. We have so much work already. We will get assigned a paper in class on a Monday and it is due Wednesday, we have quizzes every day, and my first identification exam is this Thursday! We need to know over 50 species for the exam; coral, mangroves, fishes, jellies, etc. we need to know their taxonomic group, Latin and English name. For instance, a barracuda is not just a barracuda, it is Sphyraena barracuda, the great barracuda from the Sphyraenidae group- and that was an easy one. How the test will be run is by breaking up into groups of three or four and going out with a staff member and our slates, when they see something they point to it and we have to know everything about it. It is a little nerve racking but I will learn it, I have no choice. Besides that, classes are wonderful! The professors here are amazing and energetic. We have about 4 hours of lecture a day then we go in the field after our 12:30 lunch. We are allowed to go in the ocean whenever we want, we just have to remember to sign out, bring a dive buddy, and the dive flag so the locals (or belongers) know we are swimming around. It is ridiculous how often we are in the water. I have a new appreciation for the water as well. By that I mean that when I used to go to the beach I would go in the water, but never very far out, and I would get nervous if I couldn’t touch the bottom. I feel as though the movie Jaws really had an impact on things. However, now we go out and flop around for hours on end, swim next to rays and sharks and I am not scared. There is a beauty behind being educated; it can have one of two effects on you (1) it can end up freaking you out even more because you are aware of all the things that can go wrong and hurt you, but (2) you are aware of them, cautious and more respectable. The first few days I was nervous to reach down and touch things and hold things, but I have been warming up and grabbing things left and right. Today I was holding onto a sea urchin (West Indian Sea Egg) and they look extremely spikey, and they really could hurt you if you weren’t gentle with them. However, when you lightly pick em up and just hold them under the water you can feel their little suckers just latching onto your skin for balance and support. If you flip them over you can even see their “beaks” where their teeth are located. They go along the bottom of the ocean and suck things up. I have also seen my first ever shark! It was a nurse shark and he was sleeping when I saw him, but it was fascinating. My impressions of sharks have always been to stay away and they all want a piece of me, but nurse sharks don’t actually attack. If anything, they can only give me a nasty suck, because they don’t really have teeth either. My friend Aubrey went out in the boat after mine and she saw a hammerhead! She was so lucky, she was the only one who spotted it, and she was able to snap a pic! When I saw the nurse shark I also saw a lion fish, otherwise referred to as the “devil.” They are an invasive fish, and very harmful to fish populations and humans. They are dangerous and you should never touch them. One of our research projects are to go hunting for them, spear them, and bring them in for dissection to see what they have been thriving on and where. I saw a little baby though, and kept it hush hush.

Other than that, it has been wonderful weather, today was the coldest day, but I am still in capris! I did wear my 3MM wet suit today though, because the water was freezing! Just to give you an idea on the wet suits; a shorty means it is a one piece suit that looks as if you are wearing a t-shirt and shorts (hence shorty). Meanwhile, a full body is pretty self explanatory, but you can get several different long ones depending on how thick they are. Mine is one of the lightest suits being only 3MM. They can go 3, 5, etc. The thicker you go the more buoyant you will be. If you were to be a SCUBA diver you definitely want a thicker suit because you will be further down where the sun does not really reach you. They are hard to get on if you or the suit is wet, so tomorrow will be interesting when I try to get it on again!

So far my gear has been treating me really well. My goggles have not fogged up, and my snorkel is working great! I figured out how to free dive down into the water and then surface without having to bring my head out of the water to breathe again. Every day I get a little stronger and much better at navigating. I can even mermaid swim in which your legs are together and moving along. I am still a little clumsy- I have knocked my sunglasses and towel into the water twice and then had to get back in (after I was already dry) to retrieve them. It is so crazy getting back into the water without your fins on and trying to swim!

As for the island itself, the people are so nice! I have to remind myself I am in a very safe and friendly area, because I am not used to walking around at night and talking to strangers. Everyone that you pass wants to introduce themselves and tell you their story. Every single person here has an island name too!!! I have met a Sweet Papa, Big Papa, Gucci, Rooster Hill, 007, etc. The food here is delicious and they make the best fried chicken and conch fritters! I have also been working on my Spanish, and it slowly coming back to me. When I have spare time, which is not very often, I try to look up new words so I can have a convo. There is a worker here named Daniel and he is Hispanic, and does not speak English really at all. So I have been practicing a lot on him, and he is so patient with all of us! I don’t know what it is about Americans and using hand gestures to try and explain something when we cannot think of the word.

This week I was already “student of the day” which means I have to restock the food and keep everything clean. I have to be at meals 15 minutes early to set up, but I do get first dibs on the meal because I put it out! So that is a perk. I feel like I am not going to lose any weight here because they feed us so well; conch chowder, chicken, tofu, fruit salad, salad, burgers, hot dog, etc.

When I am done at dinner time I usually go out to my wild and scruffy friends and feed them, although we are not supposed to. There are dozens of wild dogs here on the island. I have found 2 liters of puppies too that have to be only about 3 months old. I bring them peanut butter every day. They are so skiddish, but I don’t blame them. When the cars of driving down the road they never slow down or swerve, in fact they speed up and don’t care if the dogs are in the way. We get barked at occasionally, and they walk in hords of 5-10! All you have to do it bend down and act as if you are about to pick up a stone and they run away, but I would never do that. The students call me the dog whisperer, because the dogs just come right up to me and escort me to where I need to go. There is a “center dog” who always lingers outside, his name is Bruno. He is super shaggy and very old. He loves chicken. (haha speak of the Devil I just saw him walk by!)

Alrighty troops, I have to get going. The super bowl is on and we are going to the bar to watch it on one of the only TVs on the island! Go Colts! (always and forever will be a bills fan, but for tonight…)

Sting Ray swimming away. I have also seen an Eagle ray which was about 6 foot at least in width! It had little baby rays following it. These guys above love to hide in the sand, and when you dive down and sometimes don't see them, all you see are their little eyes poking through .

This is a lionfish, they are invasive and dangerous. As a research project we are going to hunt them and dissect them to see where they have been and what they have been consuming. This little one was a baby, so the professors let him be. We have not learned how to go about hunting them yet, we are still just observing.

This is a spiney lobster we saw hiding under a bolder. In order to see him it was a pretty deep free dive. A free dive is where you take as much oxygen as you can into your lungs and just dive into the water. As you go down you release air bubbles. He was maybe 15 feet down. He was also enormous! maybe 2-3 foot.

a photo for your viewing

Hey guys!!!

I am currently on a break from class, early start today- 6am! We have a curfew at eleven which forces me to go to bed early! We are currently learning about the decline of marine ecosystems. As far as the blogs go, i have a few "backed up" because i type them on my computer in the hopes i can load them onto here, of course my windows is not compatible with this one... fantastic. so i will get them up in due time i promise!

First 2 Days on the Island

Hey followers!
I dont have too much time before i go to bed, so let me just jot down a real quick list of what has happened these past 2 days...
Day 1- Travel Day
- Plane ride from Charlotte to Provos (great ride, passed out for an hour)
-Filled out my temp. customs paperwork and was accepted into the country
-Had my first taste of Conch in the Provos airport... conch burger, delicious!
- Puddle jumper to south caicos only took 20 minutes, and fit 35 people at most
- The water is a beautiful blue. All different color blues in fact, and so clear! I swear i could see things moving in the water below as we flew over
- Landing on south caicos... one runway, and a building with one room is the equivalent to their airport. There are wild cats, dogs, horses, cows and donkeys running all around.
-The drive on the opposite side of the street, but it really doesnt matter because they drive in the middle anyways.
-The SFS center is GORGEOUS! we are right on the cliff and surrounded by mangroves, sea grass beds and reefs, and the conch national reserve is right at the waters edge.
- i have 4 roommates and we get along great! i still have yet to unpack, but there has been no time!
Day2
-First day of classes, introductions to them, a little nervous because they seem difficult. I am going to just try and stay on top of them!
-Went snorkeling with friends and checked out the area around the docks and pier, then had the opportunity to go out and snorkel at a designated location in the ocean!
-i saw the most amazing fish, and an eagle ray! he was huge, at least 6 foot and had little eagle ray followers
-then i had to get back in the boat without a ladder... i really need upper body strength, but i got in... i was pulled in:)
-I took a sea bath, they are amazing and refreshing!!! i am going to need to get more soap! it great just looking down and seeing that you are showering with fish!!!
-We all got dinner then headed into town to a place called Dillon's bar. It is the smallest bar UC and you Yorkers have ever seen! only 3 people were there, but they had everything you could imagine for liquor and beer. i had my first beer in a bar!!! i asked for a tequila sunrise and they gave me a cup full of patrone with a little orange juice... redic!
- I learned how to play dominos with the locals, and eve beat them twice!! they are so friendly and now i see them all over town, they are the nicest people here
Bed time... to be continued!

First Ever Blog!

Dear Followers,

I am currently sitting in my hotel room watching the minutes on the clock tick slowly by- In less than 5 hours I will be waking up in a US bed for the last time in a long time! I will be unloading our rental car bundled up like a pack-mule with a book bag, carry on, and suite case that has to weigh at least 150 pounds. I have not weight trained enough for this! One of the things I am nervous about is being pulled aside when I try to get through security. For some reason I look like trouble or a possible drug dealer. If they pull me aside tomorrow and unpack my bag, I will never be able to fit it all back in. I did not do the packing, my mother did, and if you knew this woman, you would know she could pack a whole circus and the peanuts in the trunk of a car. It is truly a skill that I did not inherit. Regardless, I have everything a girl could need for three months of survival on an underdeveloped island; my leopard print sunglasses (compliments of MR), an updated iPod with over 1000 songs, and enough medications to sustain a small population of 30 for a year. I have two snorkel lessons under my belt, and know how to free dive into the water, clear water from my mask, and most importantly "escape sharks nippin at my fanny," (scuba instructor Joe). After I have safely made it in, I get to sit around for a good 3 hours before boarding the plane. I will probably meander around checking out the shops and maybe purchasing a magazine for my viewing pleasure, but I will just be waiting for the other students to arrive. I will not be fully calm until I have landed on South Caicos at 2:30. I hate flying, turbulence is the worst, and I always get some crying child behind me. But you take what is given to you, and I am going on this trip completely open to any and everything that is new; food, music, customs, etc. I already know going down there that I do not appreciate the little things in life enough. For instance, a cold glass of milk, toilet paper, and drinkable fresh water from the tap. I am allowed a cold shower once in a while, but for the most part will be hand washing all my clothes and bathing in the ocean. Some people really have the wrong idea of what will be happening when I am down there... it is not well populated, there are only 1200 residents, and it is a 2 mile island at most. There are no palm trees, and beach resorts... there are cacti, local markets, and deadly animals. First thing is first when I get down there... setting up my mosquito net. I have a feeling I will probably poke more holes in this net trying to secure it to the ceiling than ensuring the safety of my skin! Oh well, I will learn quickly. I will never leave the comfort of the room, shared by 5 other girls, without a layer of SPF 80 (thanks Santa). I cannot afford to get burned. Its going on to 1:30 am, and I know come wake up call at 6am, I am going to wish I got to bed earlier. G'night followers, and write to you from the island!