Do more of what makes you happy! :)

First off – what is holding you back from happiness? Fear? The unknown? Feeling stuck? Anxiety? Taking a risk? Leaving your comfort zone? Societal pressures? I want you to think on this before moving on.

Ok now that we’ve gotten past that… HI friends, family, and anyone curious to check out my blog!! It’s been a few (or maybe more) months since I’ve written anything. Once the field season had started full force in June with the students showing up, I went from busy to beyond busy haha. This was a new position for me in a leadership role and I wanted to make sure I was doing my best and making sure everything was running smoothly at camp. So all my energy was on the projects, the students, making new friendships, trying to get enough sleep and mostly importantly – staying positive. A lot of things going on simultaneously!

As I returned back from Peru in mid-October I did a lot of reflecting on this past year and what I loved to do and how to do more of it. I struggled with the time change, the cold weather, and the worst of them all, reverse culture shock. It always hits me, but for some reason this time was the worst. It gave me some time to think about what I love in my life and how happy I am with the career I chose and the people that I’ve made friends with.

While in the field I was working so hard, but also it was fun. That’s the goal right? Do something that challenges you and makes you want to wake up everyday ecstatic to hop back in. Something that inspires you to be the best version of you and to make an impact in this changing world. I was able to do some cool things such as helping administer/monitor anesthesia on a 3-toed sloth, an ocelot, a few short-eared dogs, and some tyras. On top of leading my own project, I was able to help with the other teams and train the new students on a crash course on how to survive in the rainforest. BUT the best part were the people. I loved meeting the new researchers, that became friends, and the friends that became my family while I was there. Many of us travel many months of the year and are far away from family and our ‘home’ so this becomes our home and our family. We come from all over the world and it is so fun to see how the cultures and accents are different and the many words people use in their vocab and which english (or spanish/italian/french) words that we have in common haha.

There were so many amazing memories with all of my co-workers and friends all season long. From the hysterical laughing (due to lack of sleep), to deep conversations at the bonfire, to movie night curled up on the most uncomfortable seats ever, and long days processing animals and taking samples doing amazing research. This opportunity is one that has changed me for the better. The more you live outside of the country the more you realize how awesome it is and how small your ‘world’ was before doing so. That all it takes is a small little risk and to follow through. Before you know it you are outside your comfort zone and on to something that you thought was impossible looking back at it.

On a different note I was bad at journaling in writing form this past summer, however I did journal in terms of taking a new video everyday and I created a movie of my time there with 3 seconds of video everyday. I used my iPhone for 95% of all the footage and the other 5% was a few drone shots I took. You can watch the video below 🙂

I have another cool thing to share with you all. At the end of the field season my boss asked me if I wanted to help start a new program in Vietnam. I was like uhhhh YEAH!! I didn’t think it would happen so quickly but by October it was officially in the working and as of January 3rd (tomorrow!) I will be flying there to be in charge of 7 students and collaborating with a university there which is working on a long-term project with frogs/amphibians. This is the first time my company (FPI) is trying a new program in Vietnam, which is super exciting! This trip is quick at only 2 weeks, but it’s going to be fast paced and adventure filled! We will be backpacking into a few different site locations where we will do stream sampling for all the creatures. It’s the rainy season there which means that it’s going to rain A LOT. We are hammocking as our way of sleeping so that will be fun to set up under our rain tarps every night. Not to forget the mosquito net that will protect you as you sleep so you don’t get eaten alive. Tring to get everything to fit in a 50 liter backpack is kinda hard, but you just gotta think of the essentials and what is it that you actually need and not just the normal American that overpacks for literally everything haha. I’ve never been to Asia, and going there for work and getting to work with frogs (which I’ve always wanted to do) is going to be amazingggg! I have some relaxing things planned after the program when I have some vacay before returning to the states – since we’re going to need that after being out in the field for 2ish weeks.

Below are some pictures from the rest of the field season in Peru 🙂

After working I went on some travels before I had to return. I was supposed to go to Cusco and do all these cool things and then afterwards go to Bolivia to stay on Lake Titicaca. However fate had other plans. The day after I left the field station I became sickly ill. I had to travel the next day to Cusco while being SO sick. I finally was so bad after laying in bed all day at the hostel and running to the bathroom every hour that I decided I should go to the hospital. Lucky for me my best friend, Consu, who is from there came back into town early and could bring me to the hospital. She speaks Spanish so she helped me translate all of my issues to the doctor. Long story short I found out that I had giardia (a parasite that causes intestinal infections). I got on 2 very strong antibiotics and had to rest for the next two days. It was not a fun vacation as I had planned for the next week. But we always find the best in things and we made a bad trip good. I still was able to do some of my stuff I had planned and enjoy friendships and beautiful outside adventures.

This next blurb really speaks for this past summer. It was filled with lots of sunshine, good energy, and my happiest self.

As always, keep adventuring and I’ll fill you in after I get back from Vietnam!

Luke