The Beginning

I am rather positive that I have started numerous blogs, but this one is for keeps. I decided that since I just got back from Argentina and the only thing I have to show for it are pictures, a blog is the way to go. This way I can record my experiences in words and photos. So, I am currently living in New Mexico doing an REU (Research Experience for Undergrads) through the National Science Foundation at the Sevilleta LTER (Long Term Ecological Research.) I was originally studying fire ecology and water's role in using fire disturbance to slow woody shrub invasion into grasslands, but they couldn't get the fire to happen this summer because all the fire cheifs are busy or something. LAME. So now I am looking at macro and micro inverts in the wells and springs of the Sev (short for Sevilleta.) I am pretty excited for this because I get to go all over the Sev and see all the different biomes (there are like 4 different ones that all have edges on the Sev.) The only lame thing is that it means a lot of microscope time, which I have come to loathe after working with scopes for hours on end studying tardigrades in Dr. Adam's lab at BYU and flowers in Dr. Sersic's in Cordoba. But this info will tell us some pretty cool things about what the animals are drinking, and if I combine my data with Sam and Frankie's, (they are studying water chemistry,) then it will give us a pretty cool picture of the health of these water sites.

We went hiking the other day, and it was so AWESOME! I have never seen so much sky, it just goes on for miles. I try to take pictures but I can never do it justice. The cool thing about living with a bunch of geologists and ecologists is that during our hike we stopped and looked at all these cool rocks, and lizards, plants, formations; any question I had could be answered by someone in our group. So far, I have seen tons of wildlife: western diamondbacks, wolves, lizards, an oryx, deer, tons of bugs/harvester ants... its all very cool.

But! I am not all nerd. I also like to have fun! We have gone to Albuquerque to see a movie and eat at Tucano's (yuuuuum!) But painful. You have to PLAN to eat at Tucano's, because otherwise you end up doubled over in pain as a result of eating too much, while at the same time feeling in heaven because the food is so dang good! We went up to Santa Fe last weekend... that is a cool city. I think there are something like 160 art galleries. We went to the Gorgia O'Keefe museum, and the IAIA Museum (Museum of Indian Art.) Actually, we just looked at that store on the outside because we were too cheap to pay to go all the way in :). I found the best fajita stand in the central plaza, and I even ordered in Spanish and chatted with the guys. Later Giomara and I got some corn on the cob from a little stand, and it was delish, of course. And, since my life is centered around food, (thank you, Mother, for that trait) I must mention the French creperie that we went to and the rasberry crepe I shared with Giomara. Why there is a French creperie in the middle of Santa Fe, I have no idea. But it was good. Later we went to this super cool store called "Dinosaurs and More." It was awesome! Imagine three giant rooms filled with all kinds of fossils, bones, foreign gems, and meteorite rocks. It was like a museum in itself, only you could buy stuff! But, I ended up buying a really cool ring made of cheap turquoise. But I love it. I am bummed that I didn't really get any jewlery in Argentina, but I never really found anything I loved... except my rhasta from the beautiful Brazilian. ahhh.. gorgeous. haha.

In other news, I live with two girls from Puerto Rico,(Andrea and Giomara,) a girl from Spain, (Laura,) and there are at least two others who speak Spanish. So I have totally been practicing with them! It rocks. Also, I live with two people who run track or cross country for their college, (Sam: Brown, Albert: Oberlin) and Amanda and Cesar like to run, too. So I have been running almost every day. Basically life on the Sev is amazing. Sometimes it got boring when I was stuck in the house because I didn't have a project, but even then I could go out with other people and help them with theirs. Like today I waded in water to catch inverts in the Rio Grande with Lian and Haley, and the other day I went searching for Cayote scat with Cesar. So, I am feeling like this was a good choice as far as summer options go. I am still bummed that I couldn't do EFY, but maybe next summer.

Church on the Sev: Well, obviously there isn't. So every week I drive 40 miles roundtrip to get to the nearest meetinghouse. I did a little ward shopping (which I know is bad, but since I live in the middle of nowhere I don't really live in any boundaries.) I ended up in Belen, New Mexico. The people in that ward were sooo nice! They also have a Spanish branch that meets afterward, so I went to their sacrament meeting last week. And my first week there, the Gale family invited me to have dinner/lunch/fast breaking meal with them and the missionaries! It was so fun to eat with a family again, because I have not done that in a while. I don't think we ever even sat down to a home cooked meal with the family when I was in California for a week after Argentina and before this internship. Lame. But anyway, they were super nice. Plus, one of the counselors in the Spanish branch is gonna hook me up with his son. Cha-Ching! hahaha jkjk this is how the conversation went:

[yada yada yada asking me about my background: family, Argentina, biology, BYU, etc.]
*Yes, we have a very nice ward here... Wait, are you married?
*Uh, no...
*Neither is my son. He goes to BYU. I will have to get your number and introduce you two. Here is my business card.
*Oh, well, thank you...

HAHAHA so awesome. I love it. Anyway, I think that is an OK synopsis of the last month. I am really hoping this blog will stick. We shall see. :)

Chau!