As I sit alone, staring over the Rio San Juan, I contemplate my experience during this Field Biology Quarter. After 21 days at Refugio Bartola in Nicaragua, I will be returning home a changed person with a new view of the world and a new mentality. I have learned things about myself that I would have never learned sitting at home. I learned about some of my limits and I learned that I can push past them in order to succeed in achieving the goals I have set for myself. I also realized the value of family, friendships, and significant others and how much I need them in my life. However, the most important lesson I feel I have learned, and it ties everything together, is to never take anything for granted. I encourage everyone to do the same.

Having been isolated from the normal routine that I am accustomed to and having caught a glimpse of what field research is like, has also allowed me to take time to think about what I want for myself in life and what my true goals are. As I sit here, I am convinced that in order to pursue field research, it would have to be with a focus on mammals. Monkeys and primates in particular are what I find fascinating and something I can see myself studying as a career. If this presents itself as an option, I will not hesitate in pursuing it. If this is out of the picture, then I will seek a career in medicine. This field research experience has provided me with the insight that I was looking for and the awareness I felt I needed in order to help sort some plans in life. All one can do is accumulate different experiences in order to help guide the decisions they make to find the best path for themselves. I definitely feel proud of myself and I feel accomplished for having completed this milestone step in my life. This whole experience was life changing and I would not change anything about it.