It's just going to be one of those 'I'm bored and anxious, so I'll do this elimination game that I've done before while I wait forever for a phone call or email.'
Protected Areas Management:
Guatemala
Fiji
Morocco
Mexico
Panama
Honduras
Vanuatu
Peru
Senegal
Gambia
Ecuador
Samoa
Uganda
Dominican Republic
Central/South America:
Guatemala
Mexico
Panama
Honduras
Peru
Ecuador
Leaving in January:
Guatemala
Panama
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Contact and bugs
The assessment and placement assistant responded back yesterday acknowledging he got my update - and said I could hear about my final placement any time from now until about mid-November. He also said that if I don't hear anything from them in a couple of weeks, I could feel free to contact them again. I'm not sure what I would ask...
So I'll just be waiting anxiously for that email or phone call as usual. I'll be pretty happy when this application bit is over.
Whether or not I get placed in a Spanish-speaking country, I've decided to review the language anyway by starting with the absolute basics of verb tenses using a lesson book I've had for years called "Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses." I've also got 'Better Reading Spanish' picked up at a used bookstore in Fairbanks. And 'Marley y yo' rented from the library to see if I can get through it - it was the only contemporary book I recognized on the shelf. I hated that depressing movie, though.
The past few days, these buggers have been slowly invading northeastern Illinois:
Nothing wrong with that, though...at least, not for us. It's the annual invasion of the boxelder bugs who are looking for a warm place to spend winter. They're pests to some people but we've never had a problem with them. Their presence tends to herald fall...
So I'll just be waiting anxiously for that email or phone call as usual. I'll be pretty happy when this application bit is over.
Whether or not I get placed in a Spanish-speaking country, I've decided to review the language anyway by starting with the absolute basics of verb tenses using a lesson book I've had for years called "Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses." I've also got 'Better Reading Spanish' picked up at a used bookstore in Fairbanks. And 'Marley y yo' rented from the library to see if I can get through it - it was the only contemporary book I recognized on the shelf. I hated that depressing movie, though.
The past few days, these buggers have been slowly invading northeastern Illinois:
Nothing wrong with that, though...at least, not for us. It's the annual invasion of the boxelder bugs who are looking for a warm place to spend winter. They're pests to some people but we've never had a problem with them. Their presence tends to herald fall...
Monday, October 4, 2010
Volunteering and the meaning of geese.
"Every planet has its own weird customs. About a year before we met, I spent six weeks on a moon where the principal form of recreation was juggling geese. My hand to God. Baby geese. Goslings. They were juggled."
Great quote from Firefly that goes along well with my blog name, which is a quote by the same character in the show. Sometimes things other people do are strange to you, but that doesn't make those things wrong...so before even realizing how perfect the quote was for this purpose, I named my blog after juggling geese.
A week or so back, while I was looking for volunteering jobs, I found a post in Craigslist looking for a volunteer photographer. Usually 'volunteer photographer' wanted ads are just wannabe models or cheapskate businesses looking to take advantage of talent for their own benefit. Or lousy firms look for 'intern' photographers, otherwise known as 'unpaid' photographers. But this ad was a legitimate charity called Stop Child Trafficking Now and a local group was holding a walk in Lake Zurich/Long Grove to raise money and awareness of these crimes. So hey, why not? It's practice, the pictures will be truly useful, and the walk wasn't that far away.
The night before, my friend and I stayed up til 2:30 with me editing photos and her downloading raw video. I had to wake up at 6:30 a.m. Not so wise. I rolled out of bed with multiple alarms sounding, zombified and irritated, and even forgot the instant coffee my dad made me on the counter as I left the house.
In sandals.
In 40 degree weather.
Luckily, my car isn't fully unpacked from my Alaska-to-Illinois trip so I had shoes to change into. The weather got windy and chillier as the morning continued, and participants showed up in hoodies and mittens. The organizer wanted shots of everything, so I got registration, speakers, the walk itself, and wrap-up. I liked the final results and hopefully they will too - one or so shots should be published in a paper tomorrow.
A speaker showing respect while the U.S. anthem is sung.
A mother holds her child while a speaker discusses child trafficking in the U.S.
The walking group starts.
The walk organizer and her father.
Great quote from Firefly that goes along well with my blog name, which is a quote by the same character in the show. Sometimes things other people do are strange to you, but that doesn't make those things wrong...so before even realizing how perfect the quote was for this purpose, I named my blog after juggling geese.
A week or so back, while I was looking for volunteering jobs, I found a post in Craigslist looking for a volunteer photographer. Usually 'volunteer photographer' wanted ads are just wannabe models or cheapskate businesses looking to take advantage of talent for their own benefit. Or lousy firms look for 'intern' photographers, otherwise known as 'unpaid' photographers. But this ad was a legitimate charity called Stop Child Trafficking Now and a local group was holding a walk in Lake Zurich/Long Grove to raise money and awareness of these crimes. So hey, why not? It's practice, the pictures will be truly useful, and the walk wasn't that far away.
The night before, my friend and I stayed up til 2:30 with me editing photos and her downloading raw video. I had to wake up at 6:30 a.m. Not so wise. I rolled out of bed with multiple alarms sounding, zombified and irritated, and even forgot the instant coffee my dad made me on the counter as I left the house.
In sandals.
In 40 degree weather.
Luckily, my car isn't fully unpacked from my Alaska-to-Illinois trip so I had shoes to change into. The weather got windy and chillier as the morning continued, and participants showed up in hoodies and mittens. The organizer wanted shots of everything, so I got registration, speakers, the walk itself, and wrap-up. I liked the final results and hopefully they will too - one or so shots should be published in a paper tomorrow.
A speaker showing respect while the U.S. anthem is sung.
A mother holds her child while a speaker discusses child trafficking in the U.S.
The walking group starts.
The walk organizer and her father.Friday, October 1, 2010
Out of office
It's been five days since I last heard from the Placement Office, and like any other applicant, I'm excited to know more details. I found out from another blog the office is out until Monday...but still other bloggers were getting invites, clearance, etc., so I decided to reach out.
I figured that even though my file didn't call for additional experience, I'd try to get some anyway. I emailed my former supervisor at the Crystal Lake Park District Nature Center who manages park system natural resources to see if he would like help in any of the areas that were listed to improve competitiveness in protected areas management. He responded back in just 20 minutes with a positive response, and we discussed possible activities I could do. He seemed most excited about me initiating a GIS program to manage resources in park lands, particularly by assigning floristic quality indexes...I don't really know much about plants, but he certainly does.
I really don't have much experience on this level of resource management, so I'm excited for this opportunity to become more well-rounded.
Excitedly, I emailed the placement assistant who has been in contact with me but instantly got that 'out of office' reply - happy to know it for sure, but I'm somewhat disappointed in myself, if that makes sense, for not being more patient to just wait and see what placement decides.
I figured that even though my file didn't call for additional experience, I'd try to get some anyway. I emailed my former supervisor at the Crystal Lake Park District Nature Center who manages park system natural resources to see if he would like help in any of the areas that were listed to improve competitiveness in protected areas management. He responded back in just 20 minutes with a positive response, and we discussed possible activities I could do. He seemed most excited about me initiating a GIS program to manage resources in park lands, particularly by assigning floristic quality indexes...I don't really know much about plants, but he certainly does.
I really don't have much experience on this level of resource management, so I'm excited for this opportunity to become more well-rounded.
Excitedly, I emailed the placement assistant who has been in contact with me but instantly got that 'out of office' reply - happy to know it for sure, but I'm somewhat disappointed in myself, if that makes sense, for not being more patient to just wait and see what placement decides.
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