Birds

Yes, you´re on the right page. I changed up the blog look to keep it interesting ;)

Okay, so I left off at the part where I found out I would be taken out to a field-house for two weeks to work on an ecology project...

I got picked up early the next morning by the project adviser, Susana, who is a researcher and professor at the University Nacional de Cordoba. We drove a half hour outside the city and into the country. After a few miles on a gravel road off the main drag, we pulled up to the little yellow cottage I would be living in. Inside there were 4 mattresses on the floor, a small table, and a bench with a portable stove-top which was the kitchen. The walls and other tables were covered in tools, notebooks, bird guides, and buckets of worms. The showers, toilets, and sink were a few steps away outside. And in case you don't get the picture, definitely no wifi. Susana had me leave my bag and we walked the mile out to the “campo”, field, to meet the crew. When we got to the edge of the forest, I quickly learned that the vegetation in this region of the country is brutal. Their main defense: spines. I cannot tell you how many times during the following weeks I pulled a needle out of my clothes and skin. We finally found the students though, and they started in on a Spanish biology vocab explanation of the work they're doing and reported the observations of the day to Susana. I was a little lost. We all went back to the field-house and Susana said goodbye. She'd come back for all of us in two weeks when the project was completed. So there I was: no internet, no English, a whole new vocab to get down, sleeping on a mattress on the floor with complete strangers... “Right, I got this.”

Fortunately, I did get it, and it was awesome. The two students living at the field-house with me, Alejandro and Giovana, turned out to be the nicest, most patient people ever, and they taught me an amazing

amount about biology, ecology, the bird species of Argentina, how to cook some delicious fried food, and some Argentinian card games. Oh, and they fed me my first Mate (a tea-ish drink EVERYONE drinks here, no joke, people bring their Mate cup and a thermos full of hot water to work, to church, to the library, to the park to each others' houses, to just go for a walk down the street...). Within the day I arrived, I was drinking Mate, studying the bird guidebook, and making lists of new vocab. I also quickly remembered how much I missed biology. The project itself was very ambitious, and I learned a mountain of field-study factors: data collection, observation, project design, etc. To keep it simple, the project looked at differences in habits of adult birds feeding their hatchlings under pressure of food supply and/or risk of predation. Every day at 5:30 am, Ale, Gio, and I would chug some coffee and head out to the nests. We spent 4 hours during the morning, and 3 more at night setting up predator recordings, refilling bird-feeders, observing behavioral changes, and then weighing and measuring the hatchlings. It was the nerdiest fun ever.

During non-bird hours, I got to enjoy the gorgeous Argentinian countryside. I went for runs beside fields of corn and cattle, read my book in the tall prairie grass, hung out with the property owner's horses, and, at night, stared up at a wide open sky chuck-full with stars. Every evening, Ale, Gio, and I would drink Mate, play cards, and talk about the birds, biology, music, culture, politics, love, and anything else you can find to talk about. Also, after I explained how beautiful it was, Jenna found her way out to the campo for a day to soak up some fresh air, help with some observations, and catch me up on city life and our new crazy roommate situation. She said I would love it, so when I had to pack up and leave the a few days later, I wasn't too bummed, but those weeks to get some bio experience and soak up the simple life were definitely two of my favorite so far. Thank you God.

I had to re-enter civilization at some point though. I missed my weirdo blondie partner-in-crime, and it had been forever since I talked to my family. I got back, met everyone at the house, talked to Jen for hours (a little English recap), and then skyped my whole family (minus Trev in North Dakota). When I unpacked that day getting back to Cordoba, it felt so different to know I wouldn't be moving camp again for over two months. All we did in Ecuador was bop around. I think this will be nice though, a little change of pace to get settled in for more than a week. We already have friends, picked a church, our favorite fruit store, our favorite coffee shop (which happens to be McDonalds... I know, I know, but they have AC and free wifi, don't judge), and our favorite brunch place (We are very loyal

customers. Wherever we walk into first usually gets our business the entire time we are there. Lucky fruit-shop owner right across the street...) For the next couple weeks, we are going to keep busy doing whatever comes our way. For starters, I will be working at the zoo a couple blocks away on a Rhea breeding project working with more baby birds. Jenna has her first day at a Ronald McDonald house this coming Monday. The two of us have been going with our roommates to their community center program for kids three hours every weekday evening, and we also are hoping to get involved with a home-building program and spend some time at the local animal shelters. Jenna will have to get back to you on how juggling all of that goes. ;)

Yep, everything is great. Except the heat. I know, most of you just took a Polar Vortex beating last week, and I'm sorry, because that sounds awful, but for one second just close your eyes and imagine the dog-days of summer. And now take away the AC. And add more heat. A little more. That is what we're living in. I'm not saying it's worse, but it is. Be thankful for snow.

Way too sweaty to put on a shirt (even in public, I don't care),

Nae nae