Between every two pines is a doorway into a new world

-John Muir

Entering into a new year, there are so many questions about what 2015 may bring. One thing that I am most excited for is the class for this quarter: Field Biology Quarter (FBQ) in Nicaragua. It is a unique opportunity to surround myself with all sorts of wildlife in the rainforest and learn from experts of the field and a group of like-minded people. The rainforest is like a second home to me – having spent my first moments of experiencing nature in a rainforest in Singapore – the place that sparked my curiosity and passion for conservation biology.

My name is Kathleen, and I am a third year student in UCLA, studying Environmental Science and concentrating in Conservation Biology. Over the past few years, I’ve taken myself to achieve one large goal: to use time away in college to its fullest, and learn as much as I can; about the world, about nature, and about myself. Having gone to Canada and Namibia to learn firsthand about influences of wildlife corridors and studying animal behavior respectively has revealed great truths about the reality and the possible fate of nature. But these separate ideas that fascinate me have never come as close as they will in this course that I am embarking on. The FBQ aims to bring together animal behavior as well as conservation biology throughout the course, side by side, in the realm of the tropical rainforest in Nicaragua.

Although I have had some experience in conducting research, I have never had the opportunity to conduct my own study in this particular field. I hope to be learning greater depths about these two perspectives throughout the next three months, and discover how I may be able to play a role in this field in future. Each day is an adventure, but I yearn to see this course produce fruition in both scientific growth and personal development!