Welcome to Gaia! ::

sounds like fun! good luck!

THAT'S AWESOME!!! I hope you keep us updated on the progress you and the program have made. ^_^ Congratulations!

Wow, that is so incredibly cool! Good luck out there, and I know that it'll be an interesting and enriching experience.^_^ I'd kind of like to go camping in the desert one of these days- just for the experience itself, but to be out there doing something this worthwhile at the same time is just an incredible opportunity!

Those tortoises are incredible creatures, but so delicate in their own way. Our local breed of desert tortoises are endangered, and you can't get them as pets anymore. Some people still have them from before they became endangered, though (they live a long time, after all^_^), and they have little license plates on the backs of their shells to show that they're legal. We see them every now and then, but one of their defenses against predators is to urinate. I think it's a holdover from birds- they also tend to dump their reserves when frightened to make themselves lighter for flight. But it's a real problem with the desert tortoises, because that's their water supply- if some tourist picks them up and scares them, and they drop their water, and then the tourist puts them down and walks away, then they will probably die. Just a random bit of information for everyone here- so if you ever see a desert tortoise, admire it from afar.^_~ And if you see one get startled and lose it's water, keep an eye on it and contact the local wildlife authorities so that they can get it rehydrated.

Well, today I arrived at my home in Barstow, and so far everything is great. All of my housemates are friendly and made me feel very welcome.

Today we went to a place called Rainbow (gah! I forgot!) and climbed up to the top of the hill to watch the sunset. The sunset is so pretty in the desert! The only thing is it's really not as warm as everyone may think it would be in the desert; it's actually pretty cold. But I'm sure it'll warm up.

So far the only problem I've had is that everyone in the whole house is thinner and more physically fit than I am. I was winded after climbing the hill, and everyone else was just fine. I've come to determine that regardless of how physically and emotionally exhausting this may get, I am going to try to get myself through it, and I feel like I'm here for a reason. The slogan for the SCA is "Working to change lives through nature." I've been told that this internship will more than likely change my life, so I am ready for it. I know there will be hard times, being the "fat person" of the group, but I'll handle it the best I can, and just be myself. Just wish me luck.

Weben: I recently read that about the desert tortoise here on a bulletin board. I never knew that before! That is very interesting, and now I know to stay cautious.

My first hitch is tomorrow, so I'm going to get ready and sleep and ask questions. I'll keep in touch with guys when I get back, which won't be for about a week and a half. So yeah. Thanks for being so supportive through this!

Oh, wow! Lucky you! You got to see the sunset in the desert!! Don't worry about your endurance. It'll only build up as you hike more. mrgreen It can be kinda tough at first, but you'll really notice the difference when you reflect upon this experience. biggrin Can't wait to hear more from you!