“What are you going to do about it?” That sentence was on repeat as I woke up and realized that both my face and pillow were wet. My nose had that familiar stuffy feeling, and I felt the urge to sniff as I emerged from dreams. Feeling slightly confused, I fought back tears. Then, the memory of my dream came back. I’d been in New Zealand, in the home of…
Okay, this was just TOO GOOD to not record for posterity’s sake. I’m currently looking up all the flights for travel to and around Chile because everyone needs a hobby, right? Just kidding. The real reason is a happy surprise! While I was living in uncomfortable heat and humidity in Bolivia, I got a chilling email. As I checked email at the internet cafe in Guarayos on a half day…
Why haven’t I followed the dream of a kiwi life? I’ve figured it out.
Flashback to life in New Zealand! 28 January 2012 will always hold a special place in my heart, as it was the day that could have led me down the road to really, truly living in Middle Earth. On that day, I went to Wellington for an extras casting call for “The Hobbit.” Now when I originally heard about the call, I figured I’d have no chance and that I…
Over the years I’ve had numerous conversations with fellow field technicians about poop. When I worked for Conservation Canines, we probably somehow brought the topic into conversation every night while at dinner. Out on the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta we just have a temporary outhouse, so it’s pretty clear when someone is heading out to do their duty. Pooping is just a regular part of life and yet probably more prevalent…
For anyone who’s been waiting for a post, my apologies. As a seasonal wildlife field technician, my mind is often on the upcoming months. For the last few months my thoughts have focused probably 90% of their time on wanting to know what I’ll be doing this summer. With that being the case, I haven’t had tales of my life running through my head. I’ve had plenty of musings on…
(from a Greyhound bus and BART train in SF Bay area on Christmas Day 2014) Dear Coach Dantonio and Spartan football team, This letter is a couple of years late, but all of the sudden I felt the need to write and share it anyway. My name is Steph, and although I’m originally from the NW suburbs of Detroit and love MSU, I didn’t go to college there. I actually…
Looking at fish for most of the day, day after day, really provides plenty of thinking time. Unfortunately there’s only one place my brain seems to find itself wandering around. If you know me, you can probably guess where that might be. Really, can you blame me? Herring are fish, so therefore they look like trout. Turangi calls itself the “trout fishing capital of the world” and happens to be…
2014 had the proper beginning for the makings of a very good year. The 2 key components? Running and ice cream. I know that’s not how most people welcome the start of a new calendar, but I try not to do things the way most people would. This year I spent my first Christmas and New Year in Fairbanks. With the way the UAF schedule works, I was always back…
Probably my favorite thing about my travel style is the capacity for crazy random happenstances. Admittedly I’m not the most outgoing person, but I seem to bump into the right people at the right place and time. I was too busy having fun in NZ to write about it when it happened, but I ended up joining a group of internationals when I was on my hike up/down Mt. Doom….