04 Jun Great Start at the Great Smoky Mountains

Posted at 14:16h in Fish & Feathers, Uncategorized by
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My name is Julio Andrés Campis Díaz. I am a Puerto Rican senior university student finishing my bachelors degree in cellular biology at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus. I am a lover of history, movies, and nature, especially living organisms like plants, fungi, and animals. This summer of 2022 I’ll be enjoying the privilege of being a Fish & Feathers Intern at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina. My site is the Oconaluftee Visitors Center, just minutes away from Cherokee. I am really excited for this summer and all the experiences I’ll be taking home with me. I am a hardworking, joyful, full of energy, and positive person, I’ll always be predisposed to help my fellow coworkers and visitors. Hopefully, I’ll learn from them as much as they can learn from me. This summer will be promising with great memories and once in a lifetime opportunities. This is officially my first blog.

My introduction video!
A whole day fishing beats any other day.
I was walking towards my housing and when I look up I see this beautiful bird perched on the tree. When I was about to take pictures my phone ran out of battery and could only snap this one.
I am just in love with the historic sites at the Smokies.
This is my official first hike in the Great Smoky Mountains, and man, what a view!
I am in love with the salamanders. This has to be one of the cutest amphibians I have ever seen. One of our training days was used for educational programs. In this program we learned about amphibian diversity in the park, their importance, and how we can monitor their populations.
First week of training learning about hemlock wooly adelgid, an invasive species in the Smokies.
This is the site where I’ll be spending most my summer fishing and birding. The Oconaluftee Visitors Center has been a place full of beautiful people and good hearts. I have attended a great variety of visitors and all the stories and experiences that they bring are amazing.

This first week getting to know the Great Smoky Mountains has been mind-blowing. It is a park full of happiness, life-changing experiences, life, and joy. My coworkers have greeted me with welcoming hands, and have helped me to deliver the best visitor experience in the park. I cannot wait to explore the Great Smoky Mountains and turn this summer into the best couple of months of my life. 

It is only a 1 mile roundtrip, but the view is worth a 10 mile hike
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