Well, a few things have been going on since my last posting a few weeks ago. I started fundraising for the project and so far, I've had several very wonderful donors. I wasn't expecting anything to come from the fundraising because I know so many people are struggling just to make it paycheck to paycheck but people were very selfless and I was touched by their willing to give. I will continue to fundraise in the upcoming weeks, but I am already impressed with the turn out and I hope it continues.
Along with that, I finally bought a backpacking pack. It's WAY bigger than I think I need, but at least I won't be short on space. And I'll have room for souvenirs and gifts if I find them! I bought the pack on Amazon for just under $85 and free shipping. It's a Teton Sports Hiker 3700. I probably could have done with a pack one size smaller since this one is so big, but at least I won't need to upgrade on packs later if I decide to do a longer backpacking trip in the future. Here's a link to the bag: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JYHHL6/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details.
Lets see... My new camera also arrived in the mail recently. It's a Panasonic Lumix TS3. It's waterproof, drop proof, sand proof, etc. I got it for cheap too because I ordered a display model off Amazon for about $200 less than retail. I was pretty happy with the steal and it turned out to be in mint condition anyway. I bought a second battery for it and a large memory card so I should be set to take plenty of pictures in Costa Rica.
Other than that, things have been progressing fairly smoothly. I am still trying to decide how I want to spend my last week in Costa Rica. My options are: 1.) Stay in San Jose and pay about $600 for the week to take 6 hours of spanish lessons a day and live in a homestay, 2.) Go to Volcano Arenal for two days and then head to Montezuma for five days, or 3.) Just go straight to Montezuma and stay there for the entire 7 days. The second and third option are fairly similar in price, it's just deciding on if I want to travel or relax. I go back and forth on a daily basis. So we'll see what I decide as it gets closer.
Costa Rican Adventure
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Things Fall Apart
I wasn't sure how much of this blog I wanted to dedicate to my life, rather than just focusing on the preparation for my upcoming trip. Then I decided that what happened in my life is partially related to this trip so it was worth mentioning. Perhaps it will provide someone with some advice or some feeling that maybe they're not alone.
As some of you may know, I ended up quitting my job at Banfield earlier this week. To some people, that's not a big deal. And it shouldn't be a big deal to me, since I'm not particularly well known for keeping jobs. But this job was a big deal and leaving it was a big crush to my heart. Here is why. Taking this job, I thought it would provide me with that direct link to the veterinary world that I someday hoped to work in. It felt like that perfect next step to prepare me for veterinary school and the hours would look great on my vet school application. And then something happened. It didn't go as planned. All my days and weeks and months of piling effort towards this one goal and things fell apart. I hated the job. I hated the work that veterinarians did. I won't say ALL veterinarians, but in many cases, the work I saw at Banfield is exactly the work that a lot of vets do. Mainly, the amount of time they spend selling to customers and trying to convince owners that the doctor knows best... Those of you who know me, know that customers are never my cup of tea. If I could, I'd move to a farm in the middle of nowhere and see no one for days and I'd be so comfortable with that. But veterinarian work is a lot of customer relations and customer service. And selling. Selling everything from medications to procedures to wellness plans. None of which is what I wanted to do. If I'm going to go to school for another 6-7 years, it's not going to be so I can be an overeducated sales person. I could do that now and not take another step into a school.
So after some tough deliberation and soul searching, I took the plunge and I quit. As my dad said, the time I was spending there was wasting time I could have been spending on finding something else that makes me happy. I can't be stubborn and force myself into a dream that doesn't make me happy, especially when there are thousands of dollars of student loans and years of schooling to consider. I haven't decided to completely forgo the vet career field, but I do think that if I end up involved in medicine, it will be more towards the zoo side or the shelter side of things, where dealing with owners is non-existent. This may fit my goals better. Only time will tell.
As for the trip to Costa Rica, I am still going to go and help with sea turtle conservation. To me, the project is still important and if anything, its becoming more important to the growth and development of who I am. What better to determine a person's true inner being than to drop them in a rural location in a foreign country, without hot water and electricity, and tell them to survive and enjoy themselves. I think it will be an excellent opportunity to grow personally, while still helping out a cause that is important to me.
As some of you may know, I ended up quitting my job at Banfield earlier this week. To some people, that's not a big deal. And it shouldn't be a big deal to me, since I'm not particularly well known for keeping jobs. But this job was a big deal and leaving it was a big crush to my heart. Here is why. Taking this job, I thought it would provide me with that direct link to the veterinary world that I someday hoped to work in. It felt like that perfect next step to prepare me for veterinary school and the hours would look great on my vet school application. And then something happened. It didn't go as planned. All my days and weeks and months of piling effort towards this one goal and things fell apart. I hated the job. I hated the work that veterinarians did. I won't say ALL veterinarians, but in many cases, the work I saw at Banfield is exactly the work that a lot of vets do. Mainly, the amount of time they spend selling to customers and trying to convince owners that the doctor knows best... Those of you who know me, know that customers are never my cup of tea. If I could, I'd move to a farm in the middle of nowhere and see no one for days and I'd be so comfortable with that. But veterinarian work is a lot of customer relations and customer service. And selling. Selling everything from medications to procedures to wellness plans. None of which is what I wanted to do. If I'm going to go to school for another 6-7 years, it's not going to be so I can be an overeducated sales person. I could do that now and not take another step into a school.
So after some tough deliberation and soul searching, I took the plunge and I quit. As my dad said, the time I was spending there was wasting time I could have been spending on finding something else that makes me happy. I can't be stubborn and force myself into a dream that doesn't make me happy, especially when there are thousands of dollars of student loans and years of schooling to consider. I haven't decided to completely forgo the vet career field, but I do think that if I end up involved in medicine, it will be more towards the zoo side or the shelter side of things, where dealing with owners is non-existent. This may fit my goals better. Only time will tell.
As for the trip to Costa Rica, I am still going to go and help with sea turtle conservation. To me, the project is still important and if anything, its becoming more important to the growth and development of who I am. What better to determine a person's true inner being than to drop them in a rural location in a foreign country, without hot water and electricity, and tell them to survive and enjoy themselves. I think it will be an excellent opportunity to grow personally, while still helping out a cause that is important to me.
Friday, March 30, 2012
The Beginnings of a Great Idea
It all started with an idea. I would be graduating with my Masters in Business Administration in early June and I knew I would have the entire month of June off before starting my internship at the Omaha Zoo in mid-July and I knew I didn't want to spend that time relaxing. I wanted to use that time to travel somewhere. My original idea was to go to Western Australia, to check out parts of Perth and the west coast, where I could do some hiking. But that wasn't enough. After spending my morning at the Humane Society, I was driving home when the idea struck me: Why don't I find a company that will let me volunteer with animals somewhere in the world so I can use the experience not only for traveling, but also to help animals and provide myself with further wildlife experience I could use towards getting accepted to veterinary school?
I googled "international volunteering" and came across a company called International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). They are based out of New Zealand, but offer various affordable options to volunteer. Many of the opportunities involve working with children in orphanages, schools, and hospitals. Other opportunities are medical based for pre-med students and nurses. I came across two options through IVHQ which focused on animals. The first was a program run out of Antigua, Guatemala. This program focused on homeless, feral animals that require the attention and care of volunteers to provide them with vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries, and other basic care. This program was what initially caught my eye because much of my experience with animals is working with cats and dogs. I volunteer at the Nebraska Humane Society, as well as with two local animal support organizations: The Nebraska Dachshund Rescue and Feline Friendz of Omaha. I also work part time as a veterinary assistant at Banfield Pet Hospital. I felt that the Guatemala opportunity would best fit my skills and experience.
Over time, I began to wonder if this program actually fit me best. Sure, it utilized the skills I already had, but would it teach me even more? Would it give me the chance to work in another field I wasn't quite as familiar with? I didn't think it would. So I looked at the second animal care option provide by IVHQ. This second option is based out of Costa Rica working with a conservation group protecting sea turtles along the coast. After careful consideration, I decided this program would be even better for me because it would provide me a broader experience with animals I wasn't familiar with. I would also have the chance to live in a more rural environment, working alongside a research scientist. This seemed to be a better fit for me so I applied.
Several days later, I heard back from IVHQ that I had been accepted for the program. I paid my initial registration fee and received further information about Costa Rica and the Turtle Conservation Program. After reading through the material, I determined that I had picked exactly the right program for me. Since then, I have also booked my flight from Omaha to San Jose, Costa Rica, as well as my return flight. I am scheduled to leave Omaha on June 2, 2012 and return on June 16, 2012. I can't wait to find out more about the opportunity and I hope that I can share every twist and turn of the journey. I am excited and anxious for every experience that this opportunity will bring. I hope that I can not only help with the conservation efforts in the country, but also I hope that this can further my resolve in choosing animal care as a career and a future. Wish me luck!
- Melinda
I googled "international volunteering" and came across a company called International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). They are based out of New Zealand, but offer various affordable options to volunteer. Many of the opportunities involve working with children in orphanages, schools, and hospitals. Other opportunities are medical based for pre-med students and nurses. I came across two options through IVHQ which focused on animals. The first was a program run out of Antigua, Guatemala. This program focused on homeless, feral animals that require the attention and care of volunteers to provide them with vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries, and other basic care. This program was what initially caught my eye because much of my experience with animals is working with cats and dogs. I volunteer at the Nebraska Humane Society, as well as with two local animal support organizations: The Nebraska Dachshund Rescue and Feline Friendz of Omaha. I also work part time as a veterinary assistant at Banfield Pet Hospital. I felt that the Guatemala opportunity would best fit my skills and experience.
Over time, I began to wonder if this program actually fit me best. Sure, it utilized the skills I already had, but would it teach me even more? Would it give me the chance to work in another field I wasn't quite as familiar with? I didn't think it would. So I looked at the second animal care option provide by IVHQ. This second option is based out of Costa Rica working with a conservation group protecting sea turtles along the coast. After careful consideration, I decided this program would be even better for me because it would provide me a broader experience with animals I wasn't familiar with. I would also have the chance to live in a more rural environment, working alongside a research scientist. This seemed to be a better fit for me so I applied.
Several days later, I heard back from IVHQ that I had been accepted for the program. I paid my initial registration fee and received further information about Costa Rica and the Turtle Conservation Program. After reading through the material, I determined that I had picked exactly the right program for me. Since then, I have also booked my flight from Omaha to San Jose, Costa Rica, as well as my return flight. I am scheduled to leave Omaha on June 2, 2012 and return on June 16, 2012. I can't wait to find out more about the opportunity and I hope that I can share every twist and turn of the journey. I am excited and anxious for every experience that this opportunity will bring. I hope that I can not only help with the conservation efforts in the country, but also I hope that this can further my resolve in choosing animal care as a career and a future. Wish me luck!
- Melinda
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