landed in maine...safely

i made it to maine safe and sound. nothing really interesting about the bus ride at all, it was just very...very long. trust me, i would have preferred a flight but i refused to spend $600 to get there. currently, i'm sitting at the u.s. fish and wildlife office checking my email in milbride, maine...updating my blog, etc. the ocean swells were too big today to get to the island...so here i sit. i met one of my island co-workers a few days ago. he seems to be a very nice guy out of lower michigan. he'll be a college senior this year. the staff for the two islands is rather small compared to oregon's staff...and is also very young. jeez...there's one intern who just finished her freshman year in college. i feel like the old lady around here. however...our supervisors are all older than me!!

we went shopping for the island last night only to drive through tons of fog to get back to the apartment we're staying at temporarily. my co-worker and i were joking about how awful it would be to hit a moose or a deer...couldn't see very far in front of the truck. all of a sudden, my co-worker slammed on the brakes and the two of us clutched the dashboard...hoping we don't hit the animal in front of us...groceries slid off the seat...tools clattered in the back..."BUNNY... WATCH OUT FOR THE BUNNY!!" nope...no moose for us...just a little bunny trying to make it across the road. the bunny lived to see another day.

we're supposed to head down to rockland at a wee hour in the morning. hopefully, we'll be leaving on a boat when we get there. however, if the waves were anything like today...i don't wanna go. keep in touch! don't know when i'll be on again.

finals are done!!

well...the finals are done! i'm so glad that these classes are behind me...
they're supposed to be some of the more difficult ones. i can't stand all the hoops i have to jump through to get my teaching certification for the states...oh well. i regret moving from taiwan, but i felt i was at a point where i'd have to decide to stay there permenantly or move. if i still really miss taiwan when i get my certification...i could always move back then.
my lesson plan presentation went okay at the semester wrapup. i was having a hard time reining in my emotions all day...depression sucks...and i feel i didn't come across as peppy as i should have...next time. however, my classmates liked the activity at least.

i'm moving out of houghton in 2 days! wow...i can't believe the time is finally here. i now have to switch from teacher thinking mode back to biologist mode. i leave friday for maine and the birds. speaking of maine...the director of the program i'm in for teaching is originally from maine. she goes back every summer. she lives 20 miles from where i'll be! she gave me her phone number there and told me to call when i come ashore. i think that's really cool and i do plan on calling her.

the trip to england is definate! however, things have changed a little. amanda is flying over for her week's vacation to visit me on the east coast
...so, instead of leaving for england right after i get off the island, i'm going to travel around with amanda for a bit. we're thinking of driving over to niagra falls. THEN i'll be leaving for scotland to visit with clare and her family. i'll be back from scotland mid-august. more good news...i found out that the start up seminar i have to go to for the teaching program is NOT the same weekend as irish fest!! i get to go to all of irish fest if i want to...and i'm planning on it!

after this wednesday...10th of may...my time on the internet and posting blogs will be more sporadic than before. i will not have an internet connection on the island. so, for those of you that have access to my cell number...that will have to be the main mode of communication. however, i will be able to get to the internet every 3 weeks or so. keep in touch!