Sadly enough classes are almost over and exams are this weekend. I cannot believe its been two months already, you really forget about time here...it just doesn't exist. All I can think about at this moment is that while Chicago keeps moving and progressing along time, life here in the rainforest is different and very much one of disconnectedness; to family, to friends and to what I call 'home' . I don't get on a train in the morning nor do I buy coffee like I used to when I lived in Chicago, its strange when you live in another place especially another country for a long time... but still...I don't mind it.
Cravings? I do miss the morning cup of dark coffee and I do miss my girlfriend. She and I speak a lot though, which is good and I know shes having a rough time right now without me there, especially since we live together. However, I know she knows the reason why I came here. Why I had to come here, the importance of studying in another country and in the rainforest.
Honestly though...I never thought I would say this living here.....I miss Chicago.
Most current events?
This past weekend, my group volunteered at the Yungaburra Folk Festival and the people I met were just amazing and most welcoming. I volunteered Saturday at the children's festival and worked the pump waterfall/river system that we all built in light of our topic; water and why its important (obvious enough?) Although the most of the kids really were not interested in us lecturing them we laughed and played with the kids, splashing water at each other...it was quiet a sight. I listened to some amazing music too.
Sunday morning I joined in on a meditation class at the festival and although I wasn't really expecting too, I did. It was great. Afterward there was a Zen Shiatsu class that was offer and well...I stayed for that too and met some really amazing..strangers that became friends. I befriended an older couple; an Australian and an Irishman that met many years ago and traveled around Australia in a caravan teaching yoga, meditation and spreading happiness. They were very nice and after the class I met up with later to have a cup of tea and to talk about life, philosophy and the rainforest. I really wish I spent more time with them. I do hope to see them again in the future...
So then, were do I go from here? Whats next in this adventure?
Research...
Research, the whole reason I came here in the first place.
This coming week, I start the directed research project. This is very exciting time because this last month I will spend a whole month dedicated to research. Its a huge endeavor and I know my best and worst will come out but I have confidence that I will do well.
Happily I was placed in the 'bird poop troop' otherwise known as the seed dispersal group. I am very excited to be working with birds, because ever since I arrived here I have developed a profound fascination with bird fauna. Additionally, I am really excited to be working with seed dispersal and having a chance to understand its role in natural re-vegetation of cleared rainforest. My group and I will be working with our Centre director in the "kickstart program" that was recently started. I hope that our work will help progress and develop an understanding the role that birds play within the environment. I really do not know much about what the rest of the project entails but I will Monday.
Till then...
Farewell and goodnight.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Daintree; a beautiful place. Australia; a fire dominated continent.
The field exercise report went well. I am actually really proud of myself for receiving such a great mark for only having the limited amount of time (about four days??) to collect data, compile and use the data to figure out what statistical test to use and research relevant literature as well as connect it to what I was actually using the cane toads for. Although I only had to write an intro and methods chapter, it was still a lot of work trying to find out how to connect relevant literature with what I was conducting; this really prepares me for DR (Directed Research)...I guess that is research.
The weather seems to get nicer everyday while here at CRS. However, its still bloody cold at night, up in the Tablelands. This week (Tuesday October 1st) myself and the rest of the students at CRS left the Atherton Tablelands and headed up north to the Daintree area.
As the vans drove along the Mulligan Highway toward Daintree, I noticed an ever changing landscape dominated by fire. Certain parts of the highway were actually on fire and white plumes of smoke rose over the road as we drove by. I couldn't believe that fire was actually part of this landscape, it dominated and ruled it, and although I learned about this in classes here, to see it first hand like this was beyond words. The white SFS vans soon drove into the lowlands down along the Mossman-Mt Molloy road. I was surprised on how quickly the landscape changed from a pyropyilic landscape into a pyrophobic landscape. Lust, dark green vegetation encased the road as the vans drove deeper and deeper into the rainforest dominated landscape. As the drive continued all I could think about was what Arthor Boyd said about Australia. "I stress the uniqueness of the Australian landscape and its metaphysical and mythic content."
Daintree is a completely different than the area that I have been living in for the last month. Its nowhere as near developed as Atherton Tablelands are, most of the original lowland rainforest is still intact and the lack of modern necessities is apparent. Since declaration of a World Heritage area, most of the buildings and development that does exist in Daintree runs on a minimalist setting using solar power, gas generators and an obvious non-existent access to the outside world. An interesting thing to note about the Daintree area is that the only way to get into this area is by a ferry that crosses the croc infested waters of the Daintree river. I stayed for 4 days in a local hostel and learned quiet a bit about mangrove ecosystems. Through one of the field exercises, I learned about visitors attitudes toward the Daintree area and its attachment to the World Heritage Listing. This was prompted by questionnaires which were written out and used. Interestingly enough many international people from European countries knew about Daintree and its unsurpassed beauty and significance. Id like to think that most Americans know about this being the largest, most intact continuous piece of rainforest in Australia but unfortunately most people back in the states did not even know that rainforests existed in Australia.
Its been a while since that last happened and as I update this, I just spent the last four days collecting more data for another field exercise (Natural Resource Management). Its started to rain more often as October nears its end and the rainy season starts. Tomorrow is the start of mid semester break; its been a long time coming...
The weather seems to get nicer everyday while here at CRS. However, its still bloody cold at night, up in the Tablelands. This week (Tuesday October 1st) myself and the rest of the students at CRS left the Atherton Tablelands and headed up north to the Daintree area.
As the vans drove along the Mulligan Highway toward Daintree, I noticed an ever changing landscape dominated by fire. Certain parts of the highway were actually on fire and white plumes of smoke rose over the road as we drove by. I couldn't believe that fire was actually part of this landscape, it dominated and ruled it, and although I learned about this in classes here, to see it first hand like this was beyond words. The white SFS vans soon drove into the lowlands down along the Mossman-Mt Molloy road. I was surprised on how quickly the landscape changed from a pyropyilic landscape into a pyrophobic landscape. Lust, dark green vegetation encased the road as the vans drove deeper and deeper into the rainforest dominated landscape. As the drive continued all I could think about was what Arthor Boyd said about Australia. "I stress the uniqueness of the Australian landscape and its metaphysical and mythic content."
Daintree is a completely different than the area that I have been living in for the last month. Its nowhere as near developed as Atherton Tablelands are, most of the original lowland rainforest is still intact and the lack of modern necessities is apparent. Since declaration of a World Heritage area, most of the buildings and development that does exist in Daintree runs on a minimalist setting using solar power, gas generators and an obvious non-existent access to the outside world. An interesting thing to note about the Daintree area is that the only way to get into this area is by a ferry that crosses the croc infested waters of the Daintree river. I stayed for 4 days in a local hostel and learned quiet a bit about mangrove ecosystems. Through one of the field exercises, I learned about visitors attitudes toward the Daintree area and its attachment to the World Heritage Listing. This was prompted by questionnaires which were written out and used. Interestingly enough many international people from European countries knew about Daintree and its unsurpassed beauty and significance. Id like to think that most Americans know about this being the largest, most intact continuous piece of rainforest in Australia but unfortunately most people back in the states did not even know that rainforests existed in Australia.
Its been a while since that last happened and as I update this, I just spent the last four days collecting more data for another field exercise (Natural Resource Management). Its started to rain more often as October nears its end and the rainy season starts. Tomorrow is the start of mid semester break; its been a long time coming...
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