From EcuadorWiki
Background
My brother Daniel and me... I guess we're excited!
Hey everyone! I just finished my sophomore year at Alma College, where I am a Biology major with a double minor in Chemistry and Psychology. I want to go into medicine and as of right now, I plan on becoming a pediatrician. I live in Midland with my dad Jeff, my mom Lynn, and my brother Daniel - who will be at Alma next year!!
At Alma, I am a member of Phi Sigma Sigma, the Climbing Club, and the WIAB. I am also a ski and snowboard instructor at Snow Snake Mountain. The guy in the Snow Snake picture with me is my boyfriend Brent Riley who is also going on the Ecuador trip.
Expectations in Ecuador!
On a sailboat in Puerto Vallarta
I want to go on this trip to Ecuador because I want to learn more about the culture. I'm excited to see gorgeous scenery and many different types of animals. I have an older cousin who attended Alma and also went on a Spring Term to Ecuador. She had an amazing time and I hope that I can have as wonderful an experience as she had. I would also like to improve my Spanish while I am in Ecuador.
I'm looking forward to staying with my host family in Quito. My roommate is Sarah Nicholas.
Although I won't be staying with them as long as some of the other group members since I am going to the Cloud Forest, I know that it will be a great experience.
One of the things that I am most excited for is the trip to the Galapagos! I'm really looking forward to seeing all the animals, especially the tortoises. I can't wait to hike around the islands and snorkel off the coast... I'm also really excited to be on the Galapagos Legend because I've been on one cruise before and it was wonderful.
Project Proposal
An orchid found at Bellavista
A Violet-tailed Sylph in the cloud forest
My individual project is going to encorporate my trip to the Cloud Forest as well as the cruise to the Galapagos Islands. I plan to take pictures of the different plants and animals I find in each location. Once I have pictures of the species we encounter, I can look up the scientific name for each and find the facts out. I may ask guides for any naming information they have, or if there are plants marked (as we may see in the cloud forest), I would use those markings as resources. With each species, I will research and write up a short description of natural habitat, requirements, lifespan, and other such relevant information. The final project would either be something like a PowerPoint presentation, a website, or a print version (like a book) of the varying species illustrating the biodiversity of the two regions - the Ecuador Cloud Forest and the Galapagos Islands.
Some Helpful Websites:
Journals!
I will be maintaining the Travelogue on Monday, May 14. Check it out to see what was happening that day!
I'll also post pictures that I take on the trip... eventually! :)
