28 Aug My Final Sign Off: Goodbye MN-WI ES Field Office
As my last week draws close, I would love to look back at what I got up to this summer.
The People:
I mention it all the time but everyone I have met this summer has been so welcoming and helpful. From my supervisors to those who ran our webinars I have never felt more supported in a position. This has been such a great environment to learn and grow in. A place where I can ask 1000 questions and get all the answers, I crave no matter how large or small. A special shout out to my fellow intern Micah. All the way back to our Colorado workshop I knew this was someone I was eager to work with. I was less nervous knowing someone else was in the same boat as me. So, thank you Micah, for showing me the world of bees, always taking me out on adventures, and carrying the heaviest gear. If you haven’t already check out his blogs! And thank you to my internship coordinator Sheylda, who has been supporting me ever since my interview. I am so thankful to have had this experience with Environment for the Americas.
The Places:
I feel so lucky that I was able to travel not only around Minnesota but Wisconsin too doing surveys and meeting others. Doing bee and bat surveys I saw beautiful new parks and nature areas. Places I would love to return to after this! The bat mobile route stands out to me. The route winds around beautiful lakes and the stars reflected in the water’s surface were picture perfect. And this is not to mention how amazing our Colorado pre-internship workshop was. It was my first time in the state and waking up to the mountains everyday was unforgettable. Traveling to new places, especially alone, pushed me out of my comfort zone and was such a learning moment. Not sure if I am quite ready to go solo camping in the middle of nowhere yet but it’s a first baby step in getting comfortable with travel.
It was such a pleasure to be stationed at the Minnesota-Wisconsin Ecological Services Field Office. I have learned so much about what the Fish and Wildlife Service and more specifically Ecological Services do. I have learned so much and it’s just a drop in the pond of all the knowledge available here.
The Bats:
Of course, I could not make this post without mentioning my whole reason for being here, bats! When I applied for this position, I had an interest in bats but little to no experience with them outside of coursework. I have learned so much about bat anatomy and behavior, enough to know I am interested in studying them for the long term. The results from my surveys this summer were so exciting to go through and compare to previous years. Bats are fascinating misunderstood creatures. They need to be protected and for that to happen they need to be located and understood. This project is doing great work and hopefully even more urban bat surveys happen in our area. As I write this blog, I am also currently summarizing all my findings into a report that I will present to our office and the other EFTA interns next month. I am so excited to share with everyone!
This has been such an amazing opportunity, one I am not soon to forget. The memories I made, people I met, and things I learned have driven me to continue with my career. While I am not sure what comes next for me, I know that I am ready for it.
Thanks for reading!
Grace
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