So the semester is finally almost over (last exam tomorrow!) and I am ready as ever for the summer!  All in all, the semester went OK, but not great, so I think the 4 months coming up will be the much needed time to breathe and gather some energy and motivation for the next school year.  This past semester I took 4 courses; CONS 330 (conservation science and sustainability), BIO 304 (ecology), ANTH 326 (primatology), and APBI 315 (animal welfare and ethics).  As expected, after having taken APBI 314, APBI 315 surpassed my expectations and I looked forward to class each and every time.  ANYBODY who has the opportunity to take this course should, whether you have a passion for animals or not.  It really makes the difference in classroom quality when what is being taught is also part of the professors’ current career so you get a first-hand account and real stories on the subject matter.

As I finish up my last exam, I am also thinking about my summer plans.  For the first time in what seems like a long time, I have no concrete plans!  For the past many years, I have been fortunate enough to be able to travel abroad, but for this summer I decided I wanted to stay in Vancouver and enjoy it until the last days of sun.  I hope to volunteer  (hopefully both) with the Stanley Park Ecology Society and the Burnaby Wildlife Rescue Association.  At Stanley Park, I would like to get experience learning about/monitoring the local wildlife, and at the Burnaby WRA I want to get the experience of working in a wildlife rehabilitation center to narrow down whether or not that is the career path I want to go down.   As mentioned, nothing is finalized yet so hopefully by May I will know!