31 Jul There’s never a dull moment here
These past two weeks I think were the most relaxed out of this entire internship. Granted, I still participated in several activities, and I was able to assist in the usual surveys. I don’t even say that casually, because I can’t believe that I’m even typing that in the first place. Imagine telling me of the past those exact words above this sentence. She’d be nerding out if she found out that future me got this internship. In fact, she’d freak out even more if she found out that she was gonna be working with burrowing owls! Granted, I think it’s worth noting that not every day is filled with a bunch of activities. Somedays are just office days, and that’s totally okay.
I actually never mentioned this in any of my blogs, but I have my own office! Yep, I’ve been given the honor of having an office in the McNary NWRC Headquarters, and honestly, I love having my own space. Let me also add that, I do in fact feel very professional and very, very grown up. The best part is that this internship doesn’t require me to wear business attire at the office. Thank goodness.
I was actually in shock by the setup they gave me in the beginning. I even went as far as emailing my coordinator to make sure if this was a part of the internship- the concept of giving the intern an office was very surprising. I used to assume that the stereotypical intern would have the most standard setup since the position is only so temporary. I thought my office work would be done in, I don’t know- the conference room or something. I kind of choked up about it to be honest. The little things often mean a lot to me. It’s also as if I was seeing a glimpse of my future if, and perhaps when, I decide to stay with the USFWS/DOI. I feel like even the little things can be prophetic. I can say with full confidence because it’s happened to me time and time again.
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Surveys!
Now for the fun stuff. So I’ve been helping with Submerged Aquatic Vegetation surveys (or SAVS for short)! This actually has been a summer long project that we’ve been working on and were finally getting to do surveys for it! Getting there was a process though. I actually played a pretty big role in it. I put my excel skills to the test by locating and highlighting certain coordinates from past surveys. It looks like this type of work is very, very common, and a very long process at times. Thankfully, my mentor, Sarah, helped out with the majority of it. It felt like a rite of passage, considering that almost all my colleagues have had to do it. I’m glad I was trusted with that assignment, and now I have experience with that task!
The fun part definitely has to be where we go out into those areas and conduct the surveys. The process was simple, really. The biotechs and I get on kayaks, we bring along rakes, and a weight to determine the depth of each coordinated area, and finally, we record the data. Afterwards, we move on to the next coordinate, and we do this from the morning until the afternoon. I’ll be honest, it’s been nice to get back on the kayaks. I feel like such a pro kayaker now. It’s also been nice to work with the biotechs again. I love how we’re all goofballs, but we still manage to make great progress throughout the day. I’m savoring every laugh we share. I hope that this stays the same wherever I go within this field.
From left to right, this is James, Alex, and Joe. These guys are the bio techs I’ve been working with this summer. I’m so glad I had the honor to work and share a bunch of laughs with. These are the same guys that I went on my spray trip with! Fun fact, Alex was the one who taught me how to drive a manual!
That’s all for me for now. Until the next, and last blog. This next one is going to be a very sentimental one,
… I can’t believe this wonderful adventure is coming to an end. I digress. ‘Till the next blog.
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