vacation isn't hard enough
Soon I'm headed off to Puerto Rico on what has to be the most ridiculous date of my life. I've travelled so much this year that I've earned two free flights and hotel stays that I need to cash in by September; conversely the girl I am sorta kinda seeing was planning on going there this time as well (that's a whole other post, an odd summer of synchronicities and coincidences that persists). So off we go.
Again, coincidentally, I have been reading a book by my hero Carl Safina called Voyage of the Turtle in which he spends a year pursuing and examining the state of sea turtles.
When you say sea turtle that conjures up certain images... But I don't think most people realize how large a sea turtle such as a leatherback can be. We're talking Volkswagon sized. Genetically it's got a line of DNA running back to the time of dinosaurs. I remember my first dive on a reef was a riot of sensation and color and imagery. But one single graceful moment overwhelms - a giant sea turtle surfacing by our dive boat upon my return. It was merely one of the most extraordinary things I've ever seen. I think of the heart as a clock, sometimes, and my clock pulsated for a second and I caught my breath - that's honestly what I felt, caught by surprise. There was a singular wonder in sighting such a thing; quietly humbling and exhilarating all at once.
Sometimes friends say I talk like a stupid hippie when I talk about diving. Anyway, researching Puerto Rico I realized it coincided with a chapter in this book about the island of Culebra and hatching sea turtles. And this led to a great find...
Earthwatch volunteer work
The thing about Safina's writing is that he writes so well, and I have to say point blank he writes very well for a scientist, especially. It riles you up, makes you want to take immediate action. But it isn't that easy.
Conversely I feel a lot of us young people are frustrated with the idea of travel and tourism in its prepackaged, sterile pointlessness. We crave authentic experience, not necessarily vacation (I could of course be completely wrong about this). But this has been written about enough by novelists from Ballard to Garland.
So Earthwatch, if you click on the volunteer section, does the following: pairs people up with scientists who need volunteers in field work. Want to help the sea turtle? Give your vacation money to earthwatch and have your accomodation and meals etc. paid for and spend your trip actually working on the beach all night long being a part of a team collecting data which might help the plight of these animals who on the verge of serious depletion. Or explore the rain forest collecting insect samples. I think it's a brilliant idea and one I will save up for.
I believe that nothing brings peace to people like challenging themselves and overcoming it, having singular experiences that push them to new limits and achievements, as well as collectively taking part in something for a greater good. Hardship gives us a sense of serenity that merely consuming never will. Instead of being nihilistically downtrodden about the whole thing, there's a whole world of action to take.
So says he before sticking a pop tart in his mouth in the morning.
Again, coincidentally, I have been reading a book by my hero Carl Safina called Voyage of the Turtle in which he spends a year pursuing and examining the state of sea turtles.
When you say sea turtle that conjures up certain images... But I don't think most people realize how large a sea turtle such as a leatherback can be. We're talking Volkswagon sized. Genetically it's got a line of DNA running back to the time of dinosaurs. I remember my first dive on a reef was a riot of sensation and color and imagery. But one single graceful moment overwhelms - a giant sea turtle surfacing by our dive boat upon my return. It was merely one of the most extraordinary things I've ever seen. I think of the heart as a clock, sometimes, and my clock pulsated for a second and I caught my breath - that's honestly what I felt, caught by surprise. There was a singular wonder in sighting such a thing; quietly humbling and exhilarating all at once.
Sometimes friends say I talk like a stupid hippie when I talk about diving. Anyway, researching Puerto Rico I realized it coincided with a chapter in this book about the island of Culebra and hatching sea turtles. And this led to a great find...
Earthwatch volunteer work
The thing about Safina's writing is that he writes so well, and I have to say point blank he writes very well for a scientist, especially. It riles you up, makes you want to take immediate action. But it isn't that easy.
Conversely I feel a lot of us young people are frustrated with the idea of travel and tourism in its prepackaged, sterile pointlessness. We crave authentic experience, not necessarily vacation (I could of course be completely wrong about this). But this has been written about enough by novelists from Ballard to Garland.
So Earthwatch, if you click on the volunteer section, does the following: pairs people up with scientists who need volunteers in field work. Want to help the sea turtle? Give your vacation money to earthwatch and have your accomodation and meals etc. paid for and spend your trip actually working on the beach all night long being a part of a team collecting data which might help the plight of these animals who on the verge of serious depletion. Or explore the rain forest collecting insect samples. I think it's a brilliant idea and one I will save up for.
I believe that nothing brings peace to people like challenging themselves and overcoming it, having singular experiences that push them to new limits and achievements, as well as collectively taking part in something for a greater good. Hardship gives us a sense of serenity that merely consuming never will. Instead of being nihilistically downtrodden about the whole thing, there's a whole world of action to take.
So says he before sticking a pop tart in his mouth in the morning.
1 Comments:
Are you in Puerto Rico yet? How's the water?
Martin
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