Ok so I realize that I have kind of failed at keeping my blog updated. I have just been so busy. I am now back in school in Florida but I miss Indy. My last weeks at the zoo were great! I had visits from my mom and dad so that was a lot of fun. I also went to the state fair and tried to spend lots of time with my roommates and friends there. Plus I always had a great time working with all the wonderful people and animals at the zoo. I was so sad to leave but I am excited to finish school and graduate! Florida is just like I left it so it felt totally normal to be back home. I also have my cat with me again so I am so happy about that. I have a busy schedule but I think it will be ok. I am taking dance classes again and I am continuing to work at the zoo!

Hello Everyone!

Things here at the Indy zoo are great! I can't believe I only have 3 weeks before I head back to Florida. I will be so sad to leave. I have had a great time with all of the people and animals here and it only gets better with each day. I have been continuing to feed and work on some behaviors with the animals.

Outside of the zoo things have also been great. I have to admit I have not been great about running lately but it has also been raining almost everyday so I am going to blame it on that. Hopefully I can run tomorrow and get back to my regular schedule.

It is also my birthday week! I have already gotten some great birthday cards from my amazing family and friends. I also went to dinner tonight with some people from work and had a great time. On Friday I am going to a Jack Johnson concert with some of the other trainers and another intern so I am so excited! It will be my first concert and the perfect way to celebrate. Then Tiffany will be here and she is coming to the zoo! So many exciting things but I know it will go by way too fast.

Here are the pictures I promised.

I am doing my best to keep up with this blog but I have just been so busy that it is hard to post frequent updates. I am still loving my internship at the zoo! I am doing behaviors with the animals along with all my other regular internship duties. Yesterday I just finished a project for the curator of marine mammals that I have been working on (with a few other people) for almost three weeks! It felt great to finally finish it. I was also able to take some pictures at work with a few of the animals so I will try to post some as soon as I can use my own computer to go online. I was also allowed to visit the penguins in the oceans building and I got a painting from Tundra (the only polar bear in the world that paints!!!).

I have been staying at one of the trainers houses this past week while she was out of town. She has a dog and 2 cats so I have been taking care of them this week. It has been nice to spend some time with pets! For the 4th of July I went to another trainers house for a cookout and games. It was a lot of fun and I saw fireworks on my entire drive back to my apartment. I also went to see the eclipse movie this week with my fellow interns and the attendants. We had a great time. I can't believe that I will have to leave so soon. I have met some great people here and I will really miss them.

I can't believe how fast this summer is going by. I am already halfway done with my internship! Things have been going really well at the zoo. I was quizzed on the behaviors that I chose to do with the animals and earned my bridge!! It is a big deal in the training world but for those of you who don't know it is just a whistle that you use to let the animal know that they have done the behavior correctly. Tomorrow I will be tested on how well I can use it. I also participated in a practice diver down where I had to "save" the other intern who "panicked." It turned out to be pretty cool even though the water we were diving in was 50 degrees! I also got to go to the plains area of the zoo and one of the plains keepers let me feed some of the birds and foxes! It was awesome and the birds actually came from the Brevard Zoo!

Sorry it has been a while since my last post but I have been so busy! I have been feeding the animals at the zoo now for a few weeks and I am picking out the behaviors I want to learn. As an intern we automatically get to do waves, vocals, and piro (spinning in a circle) with all the animals. We also get to chose 7 other behaviors that we want to do with the animals. I think I have picked my final 7 and I look forward to learning the criteria and starting to do more things.

In addition to all of the things at the zoo I have started running! I know it's hard to believe if you know me. I just decided I wanted to get back into shape so I'm giving it my best try. I am now on my fourth week and have actually made some progress! I just hope I can keep up the routine.

I am getting ready to start my 4th week at the zoo! I can't believe how fast it is going by. I am still enjoying my time at the zoo. I worked in the outside exhibits a lot last week and I really enjoyed it. The walrus are amazing! At the end of the week my mentor told me that I could start feeding the animals! I am excited to be making progress and starting new things!

It is finally warming up in Indy!! I am just so happy that it is not cold anymore. Sometimes I feel like I am solar powered because I just love warm weather and sunshine! I am enjoying my weekend and I start another week at the zoo tomorrow. I have started scuba diving to clean the pools and last week I had to dive in the polar bear pool. That water is cold! Talk about a shocking way to wake up at 8 in the morning. That pool is kept around 65 degrees.

I have still ben adjusting and trying to learn as much as I can but it is definitely easier now that I know the basic routine. I have worked in the dolphin area the most but I have also done some shifts in polar bear and next week I am in the sea lion and walrus areas quite a bit. I have observed many training sessions and shows and I have gotten some kisses from the sea lions! One of the sessions I observed was with the polar bear and it is just so amazing to be that close to one of the largest carnivores. There is always a large gate between the bear and the trainers but it is still cool to see her that close. I have also done my sea lion script a couple of times for the public and I will be doing my walrus script this week. I have helped out with dolphin husbandry sessions as well. Basically I pretend to be the vet and I will clean the area around their vein in their fluke where a vet would draw blood. Then I either touch the area with my finger or a fake needle. These husbandry behaviors are very important to practice regularly because if the vet needs a sample then the trainers have to be able to get one. And just like people some dolphins "freak out" more than others.

I hope everyone has a good week!

Today was the second day of my second week at the zoo! So far things are going really well. I got a kiss from a sea lion today! I also did my sea lion script for the public and finished my checkout dive. Everyone is still really great and I am getting the hang of things! I am looking forward to doing more and more as the internship goes along!

First week at the Indy Zoo!!

Hello everyone!

I am finishing up my first week here at the Indianapolis zoo marine mammal department and so far I love it! The first day was just orientation so I did some paperwork, learned the rules, and meet all the the people in the department. So far everyone is really nice and helpful. My mentor for the internship is Mandy and she is one of the senior trainers in the department. She has been very patient with me while I am learning all of the new information. lol. So far I have done fish house and dolphin shifts. I actually feel pretty comfortable with the routine in the dolphin area already! The hardest part is finding little chores to do when I finish my assigned job. I have to go take my dive physical tomorrow and then do my check out dive on Sunday! I also have to memorize my sea lion and walrus scripts, because as soon as I have those memorized I can start feeding the animals. I will try to update you all again after I have spent more time in all of the different areas!

It's Summertime!

Hello everyone!

I have completely finished junior year! I am officially a senior! I am so happy this year is over and I am looking forward to my summer adventure. I will be spending my summer in Indianapolis for a marine mammal internship at the zoo up there. I can't wait to get started! I start my internship in a few weeks so I will add another update then.

I apparently fail at keeping an updated blog but here is a recap of the major events since my last post. I have finished the first semester of my Junior year and I am currently trying to finish the second semester. I enjoyed visiting with family and friends during my winter break. I even got to visit New York City! I am still not sure what my summer plans are but hopefully I will figure something out soon. Well thats about it... I guess I will see if I can try to add another post in the not too distant future.

I know it has been way too long since my last post. I am now back at school and missing the dolphins. This semester is going to be very difficult and I look forward to finishing it. I love having my own apartment and living with my cat. I just wish I could live here without all of the schoolwork. I am working at the Brevard zoo again and it has been nice to see everyone. 

I know I haven't posted an update in a while but things have been incredibly busy lately. The internship is still going well. I have been able to work more with the dolphins doing husbandry behaviors and continuing to assist in training sessions. My weekends will be changing this week, and I will be moving to seal and sea lion full time. I will really miss working with the dolphins. The trainers were very nice and let me take some pictures with the dolphins this week.

I have also been to Melbourne to finalize things with my new apartment. I will be going to Melbourne again this month to sign the paperwork and start moving my things out of storage. I am really looking forward to the start of the school year.

Hello Again! I have just spent a day at Miami Beach and life is good. The internship is going well, but it is still hard work. It is a little easier now that I am more used to the work load but by the end of the week I am exhausted. I have been able to do behaviors with the dolphins, and I was even in a few of the shows! It has been amazing and the trainers are so nice and have given me many opportunities. For the rest of the summer, the Top Deck is doing a pirate show in the afternoon. It is very funny. 

On another note, I went to see UP and then went to dinner with my two housemates. We must have looked like a random group, but it was fun. Valrae's son was here for a few days to visit. All of us went to dinner one night and had dinner at the house the next. My housemates are great!

Next weekend I am going to visit some friends in Melbourne. I am going to volunteer at the zoo for a day and then just spend some time at the beach. It will be nice to spend a fews days out of such a big city...and the horrible traffic.

Come Sail Away With Me

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have just been so busy. Last weekend I flew home for my brother's graduation. It was a busy weekend, but I enjoyed visiting with family and old friends. Congrats David!

When I got back to work, I took and passed my safety guidelines test, and my scrubber test. Now that all of my tests are over, I can dive and scrub without a trainer present and I can begin to work with the animals. It was a stressful week! I even had to scrub one of the pools by myself the day after I passed my test. It was definitely an experience. The scrubber was having problems so it was only after many attempts and some assistance that the scrubber finally worked. And the pool I was diving in is one of the coldest pools in the park. Talk about a shock at 8 in the morning. But hard work pays off. That same day, I was able to feed one of the dolphins during a training session! The next thing I have to do is finish memorizing my feeder pool script. I have to know it by Monday so I guess I should start practicing.

This weekend I was surprised with a visit from my mom. Today we visited the Seaquarium so she could see where I work. She even met some of the trainers that I work with. Tomorrow we are planning on just relaxing and maybe going to a movie. That's it for now :) Bye

Orientation at the Miami Seaquarium

I have just finished my first week of work at the Seaquarium. I began the internship on Monday along with 3 other girls. The first two days involved a lot of paperwork, reading materials, and a dive test. The dive test was fairly easy and I passed! After the orientation days, we were all sent to specific areas. I am assigned to the Top Deck and Seal and Sea Lion areas. I will be spending 3 days of the week at Top Deck and one day at Seal and Sea Lion. Everyone has been very nice and I am working hard to learn the day to day routine. I have already learned how to do fish prep in Top deck by myself and I have learned how to ID all of the 4 dolphins in the Top deck area. I have also completed three buddy dives (the check out dive, a dive in sea lion show pool, and one in the top deck pool with the dolphins). The internship involves a lot of diving, and I have to complete 12 buddy dives before I can dive without a trainer. I will also be learning how to use the underwater vacuum and scrubber. I have quite a few tests coming up to make sure I am ready to dive and use all of the equipment safely. This internship is definitely going to leave me in great shape, but for now I am just exhausted and sore. I am working 4 10 hour days, and they definitely wear me out. I will be happy when I begin to adjust to the demanding schedule. That is all that has happened so far, but I will keep ya'll updated!

Goodbye sophomore year

I have not posted frequent updates during the school year, but the school year is winding down. I have only three weeks of school left, and then I am on my way to Miami. It seems so close, but I have so much to do before I can leave for the summer. These next few weeks I have loads of school work, I have to put my stuff in storage, and get everything ready for the summer. If you do not know yet, I will be interning at the Miami Seaquarium this summer. I can not wait for this new experience and I will do my best to post often and keep you all updated this summer. Well I have tons of things to do so I will try to give an update once my internship starts!

Happy New Year

Welcome 2009! I hope everyone had a great holiday season. The year of 2008 was a great year and I hope that 2009 can be even better. My New Years eve was spent with family and friends. Mom and I went out to dinner with the Brant family and then went to the movie. It was a quiet New Years but I could not have asked for a better one. It has been nice to spend some time with family and old friends but I am looking forward to going back to school.