Monica Bacchus
During my time at the School for Field Studies in the wet tropics, I learned a lot of new things I didn’t think about before. It would’ve been redundant to learn more about marine biology and coral reefs, the stuff I already know about. During Michelle and her PhD student’s talks, I was happy to gain education on new topics and a broader perspective. Thinking about humans intertwined with natural ecosystems is essential when thinking about management and climate change. Both Siggy’s geological history and Deborah’s regenerative agriculture lectures both sparked excitement for me. Farming and understanding the geological history of Earth are important for our sustainable future. All the topics were extremely vital to human life and the pursuit of understanding, as is the goal of science. I haven’t gotten the feeling of learning something new during school since undergrad. It was a nice change from my regular graduate level coursework.
The time I spent in the jungle with no schedule or service has solidified my flexibility and independence, both important traits necessary for success in the real world. I have always been an easy going individual but after meeting David and Deborah, I realized there’s a level of chill I haven’t quite reached yet. The passive nature of everyone at the center reminded me that life has no schedule and to take things slow. As I near the end of my Master’s program and feel like I’m scrambling to find a good job and finish my thesis, I am reminded of the people I met here and the spontaneity of life.
Life in the bush is all about practical skill advancement. It’s truly “do or die” out here. Cassowaries, venomous snakes, stinging trees have the potential to do a lot of damage so it’s critical to be aware of your surroundings. Self-awareness and successfully navigating your surroundings is a skill everyone should have; in our current reality I can see it doesn’t come as natural to everyone. I also really enjoyed reviewing the reptile and mammal identification book and being able to apply it to walking around the center. Animal ID and being a naturalist go hand-in-hand when being a Zoologist and it was a lot of fun being able to advance those skills in a new frontier.
Overall, the last week went by so quickly but was a lot of fun! There was so much to see and hear around every corner. Although it was outside of my comfort zone scientifically, I was happy to take it all in. This week reminded me of the root of my passion when I initially wanted to study terrestrial animals. Although I love to study fish and marine science, it was an amazing experience to think of what could have been for me. I am excited for the next chapter of the trip: to go back to the warmer weather and the Great Barrier Reef.