Monday, August 15, 2011

Last Call

Before I found myself flying the coop I took up one last spur the moment task. Tuesday morning a man had came inside saying that there had been a tour set up for weeks yet the person in charge had retired. He came into the visitor center looking for someone who would know anything about the trip or lead them into some kind of direction. With almost everyone out the building there wasn't much I could say except I will go. I was excited to get out on the drive for the last time and since my first bus tour was not one of the most fulfilling of my hunger to get out on the drive and speak so passionate about some of the things I have learned I found it as an opportunity. Some of these kids had visited Forsythe before and  remembered things that my eyes have never seen for instance the "Friends Shack". They were excited to look at all the birds and try to figure out which ones were the ones seen on their sheet. I also taught them the song of Fresh water, Salt water that the last bus group came up with to remember. I enjoyed their enthusiasm and the questions that came from aids and the young children. I enjoyed talking to them with ease answering questions is my thing, asking them is not. I felt like I didnt want to get off the bus as they pulled up to the visitor center. Not because the bus had A/C but because they were all so nice and gave me my official bus tour accomplished badge on my heart. <3

Friday, August 5, 2011

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

RECAP

This last one is short and simple don't want to get teary eyed in my last blog experiencing my endearment for summer internship. Listening to stories about other peoples summer of still working in retail or at internships that didn't pay or even allowed to travel seemed so sad compared to mine. Even though I could see my backyard from here the Student Conservation Association gave me the best time of my life this summer. Being apart of CDIP  (Career Discovery Internship Program) I truly discovered that the career I thought was for me is now questionable. The opportunities, the people I have met, the knowledge I have gained all comes from that list of internships to chose from and I just so happened chose to be a part of this one. Happy I was selected and now I can go back and share my experiences first hand. No I didn't play with lions, tigers, and bears this summer I handled birds with care, I talked to new people each day, I gained a new found interest in my environment and how it is treated, a secret passion for visiting wildlife refuges and an all around new outlook on who I was. I am not intimated as I thought I was by kids and whatever I go off into life there is always room for added knowledge and the right to say I did it. I was able to work outside of my element and not go for the usual. I find the usual to now be boring and an excuse to keep away from steering from the norm. I can some up all of my emotions in one some of them are not easy to explain but one thing I do know is that
I CAME I SAW I CONQUERED. Edwin B. Forsythe Refuge has left a mark on me and now it is time to share that new brand with others I come in counter with.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The End is Near

My my how time fly's i guess it is true time waits for no man...or woman in my instance. This summer has been one of the quickest but most eventful summer I have had in many years. Proudly wearing my blue SCA polo I am often stopped but Sunday's stop was different. A man came into the friends bookstore on a mission to learn about what birds he could see and left. 10 mins later he walked into the bookstore and said "Hey I see you have SCA on your shirt. Does it stand for student conservation association." I said yes proudly and prepared to be asked the usual what is SCA about what do you do etc frequently asked questions but he told me in 1964 he was also an SCA intern for a week. One whole week. Just one I was puzzled. He even said they didn't have fancy shirts back then now there is 5 to carry me through the week. That made me say WOW how SCA has grown. How we are now doing 12 week internships. He said he stillllll receives letters and often donates. I was in the presence of an alum SCA member. I beamed with joy knowing that the same experience he had I am enduring time 2. That was great for closing out the summer. As I am nearing the last stretch and preparing to go back into the city life that I grew up on I am going to miss so much about my refuge. From the birds to the interesting people I have met in the visitor center and working on the beach. From my wonderful managers who allowed me to get my hands dirty in everything possible and all the volunteers and staff that made me feel welcomed. Its sad to see time go but as this fellow SCA walks out the door hopefully another will walk in just like the gentleman I encountered on Sunday. As far as the other CDIP interns I wish them well on their future endeavors and hope to see them making headlines on making a difference in anything they do like the speakers at NCTC. I gained some of the most peaceful moments at my refuge when it is just you surrounded by nature. I'm ending this with a question that I got from Lamar What did you learn about yourself in your experience and I feel I have to share that I truly learned that just because I am a city girl I should never let that attitude alter my views of nature and life. I also learned that there are many opportunities out there that are hidden that I never took the time to explore and search for because of poor expectations or finding it beneath me realizing that I was not as open minded as I claimed to be. I have been taught in this experience to observe and slow down that a fast pace living does not do the environment justice and that I need to take head in what is going on myself. Thank you SCA for helping me reevaluate my lifestyle. So sad to see it end.