Category Archives: Week 3

from the field, Lindsey, Week 3

The Orangutans are Coming

Seeing as I’ve spent the past three weeks in a rainforest with three species of primates, none of which are orangutans, my title does not make any sense. But that didn’t occur to me in the middle of the night when I was frantically trying to find my shoes and headlamp to get away from said orangutans. It has happened before where I wake up in the middle of the night disoriented and thinking I’m still in my dream, but to the dismay of my roommates it has happened nearly every night since half way through my trip. I often wake up, confused and terrified, as I fully believe I’m in the rainforest at night either trying to find leaf cutter ants or scared that there are large bugs and spiders surrounding me. When I finally locate my headlamp and turn it on I realize I’m in the safety of my mosquito net in bed. The other night, after three hours of collecting data on leaf cutter ants past sundown, I woke up thinking I was back in the field and my professor walked by screaming “the orangutans are coming we must get out of here quickly” and it was quite frightening. I jumped over a fallen tree and couldn’t find my shoes or headlamp, luckily my friend Emily came up to me and I told her how we must leave soon but I couldn’t find my things, so she helped me by turning on her headlamp. At that moment I realized I was standing on the floor of my room facing Emily lying in her bed and it was a very strange situation I found myself in. I also realized that the tree I had jumped over must have been me jumping out of my bunk bed (I am impressed with my lack of falling off my bed completely). I had woken up my roommates, but the first thing Kaylee said (having just woken up and not sure what was happening) was simply “did you find the cake we left you?” because I had missed the cake they handed out after dinner. It was a comical ending and I went back to bed still slightly weirded out.

It’s funny because during the day I feel perfectly safe wondering the trails of Refugio Bartola, even taking hikes by myself. It is beautiful here, everything is green and constantly full of sounds I haven’t ever heard before. I enjoy the freedom of choosing a trail and hiking wherever you desire for seven hours of the day. All of that, and the food, and the new experiences I happen upon every day, I will miss. But I definitely wont miss the night terrors.

Emily, from the field, Week 3

Live and Learn

At the beginning of the trip, I told myself that I would make it a point to learn at least 1 thing from every single person on this trip. Being true to my word, here is the list. Thank you to all my new friends, TA’s, professors, and even the kids for all you’ve taught me!

  1. Vivien: Getting bitten by a gecko is much more adrenaline filled when your best friend is by your side screaming bloody murder.
  2. Kaylee: You can use a razor to remove all the little clumps on your leggings. (Major tip for the ladies!!) Another thing…you only need two iPhones to become a true DJ.
  3. Lindsey: One can never have too many animated dreams. Also, salt is key!
  4. Juan: He is Juan-of-a-kind. When everyJuan is pissing you off, he can make sure to make you feel better. There’s noJuan quite like him.
  5. Tinh: One can never make too many puns…no matter how dreadful they are. Also, there’s a planetarium show everyone Wednesday on top of the LS building, who knew!
  6. Callan: When you make a situation extremely awkward, break out into a dance to make it even more awkward.
  7. Michelle: A simple smile goes a long way! Michelle’s actually the queen. From being the greatest singer to becoming a yogi in .10 seconds, she has a heart of gold and will always be there offering a helping hand.
  8. Joey: Sass is not an option, it’s a necessity.
  9. Ben: When in doubt, “I’m down”.
  10. Brigit: She’s taught me too many things. But the most important one has been to always remember how empowering it is to have full control of every part of your body and spirit.
  11. Kathleen: Memories last a lifetime…and so do Kathleen’s uber high def pics. Can’t wait to see all of them!
  12. Caleb: A gnarly beard takes 2 years to grow. Also, it’s a great feeling when you find that one person who is “perceptive of [your] being.”
  13. Jeff: Sliding down a trail is a bad idea. Your ear might get injured.
  14. Paria: When boys make you angry you can’t hit them because then you get in trouble and get sent to the principal’s office. (Very important.)
  15. Wiley: You don’t need to speak the same language to make a new friend.
  16. Adrea: Butterflies are pretty rad. Headbands can be rocked with every outfit. Travel as much as you can.
  17. Rachel: There’s a fruit called crescentia. It’s only seed disperser is thought to be a gomphothere, an elephant like animal that is now extinct and no other animal is able to spread its seeds. Now, the only way it continues to exist is when a human plants it. Also, juice is amazing, especially pineapple juice. (Note: buy a juicer)
  18. Dr. Shier: In order to trap an agouti you will need a whole pineapple, 30 bananas, 20 coconuts, a fully furnished cage, hot water for showers, and Wi-Fi connection.
  19. Dr. Grether: Catching a toad single handedly is no biggie. Same applies to a caiman.
  20. Becky: Sometimes the best teachers are actually family members. Literally.
  21. Don: Light doesn’t follow a linear pattern with distance. Light intensity is 1/distance2.
Brigit, from the field, Week 3

At the Breaking Point

21 days here. To my memory it doesn’t seem so but, to my body, it does. I have had quite the journey. Many nights I have gone to bed either frustrated or…elated. I feel as though I have hit the breaking point.

If I have to experience just one more mosquito in my rice, one more pair of 3-day wet pants, one more spider web to the face, one more spiny palm spine in my hand, one more bug bite on the arch of my foot, one more inconvenient rainy day that makes it impossible to go out and collect data just four days before we have to leave, one more time the suctioning of the shin-deep mud removes the boot from my foot causing me to fall over, one more cut from a terrestrial bromeliad, one more venomous snake to nearly step on, one more cluster of harvestmen spiders to fall in my hair, one more fish-hook vine that snags my hair and prevents me from getting home on time for dinner, one more butt-slide down a muddy hill caking my pants and backpack with mud…

Just one more breathtaking vibrant streak of color from the fluttering wings of a morpho butterfly, one staring contest between me and a caiman floating below the surface of the water, one more canoe trip with a river otter, one more game of hide and seek with a troop of capuchins, one more game of tag with a very aggravated male howler monkey, one more rainy morning sitting under a tarp with my partner marking over 200 spiders with paint, one more chorus of the Montezuma’s Oropendola up in the canopy that makes me feel like I am in an underwater casino, one more army ant swarm to burst from the forest beside me that is accompanied by the blue-faced ant birds waiting to catch a meal from the small insects fleeing the ants, one more moment of hysterical laughter in the middle of the forest with my partner, one more blood-chilling moment, bent over, removing soil from a leaf cutter ant nest, only to hear a low growl and turning around to see the bold looming presence of a jet-black jaguarundi watching over me, one more endless moment of eye contact with that predator, one more quiet moment beneath all of the diverse leaves of the canopy, just one more pink sunset on the river…

I am at the breaking point between insanity and discovery. Being here has made me realize that I love every moment that I have out in the forest, even the ones involving mud. However, I have also realized that science is very much like art, fantastic and wonderful to create, but as a profession, the need of money causes the passion for the work to diminish. I still find that I have much to learn before a decision is made, and I am looking forward to what my decision is.

from the field, Juan, Week 3

Life Changing

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.