Phew… it’s been 2 weeks of hardcore supply shopping/ reading/researching/citation writing (so. many. citations.) and it still hasn’t sunk in that I’ll be in Belize tomorrow afternoon. The closest I’ve gotten to the tropics is the 100%-humidity streets of Hangzhou, China, so I have no idea what to expect– but I am prepared at least for action packed days and aching feet, maybe like hiking Big Bend?

My goals for this trip are to experience firsthand what it’s like to be a field researcher. I’m hoping to become a zookeeper or museum curator, which both can have elements of field research, so after this trip I’ll be able to decide if I really love it and maybe want to do it full time.

I think I’m most nervous about snorkeling, as I’ve never done it before and only recently got the hang of breathing. Hopefully I won’t be slowing down the rest of the group… And my ears are still not used to the pressure in deep water. Another thing is that I haven’t actually taken a proper biology course since high school, so I feel a bit rusty on some general conceptual things, like how taxonomy works. I’m nervous about possibly getting something wrong in my presentations especially.

The thing I’m most looking forward to is exploring the caves, thanks to my topic assignment! There are so many freaky unidentified creatures down there; maybe I’ll see some bug that no human has set eyes on before. Also, I love the eerie atmosphere of a cave, like a bubble completely sealed off from the rest of the world. Even though most nutrient sources come from outside, if we’re being picky ecologists here.  And the specific animals I want to see: any classic rainforest animals, like big cats and primates, bats, and the humble fungus gnat (makes strands of silk that hang from cave ceilings).