July 27, 2018
It was 10:55AM and I can't figure out how I was able to simultaneously email our expedition's senior fellow, texted one of my team members, called and texted our project's principal investigator, and spoke with an Earthwatch Institute support staff just seconds after the Southwest flight crew announces a [second] delay. A quick flash of my expedition briefing entered my mind... "If you land after noon and do not meet your rendezvous point by 1:00PM you are responsible for traveling to the Southwest Research Center (SWRC) by your own means."
As a teacher traveling on a budget, has flight anxiety, and who just Google'd the distance from Tucson to the SWRC [and it stated approximately 3 hours of travel] I decided if my team members from Los Angeles could get there on time, so could I- Unfortunately running the idea of not making it was also a reasonable thought at the time.
And just to let you know, I make it to the rendezvous. By 11:15AM I was buckled in and our plane was rolling onto the run way ready for take off. I was due to land in Tucson, Arizona at 12:30PM but the wheels on my plane touched the runway at 12:20PM. I looked forward to grabbing my checked bags, meeting a shuttle, and arriving at the Doubletree Hotel in Tucson with time to spare. I got there and that was just the start to what I knew was going to be a great adventure in science and research. I looked forward to meeting my first caterpillar.
It was a 3+ hour car drive with some amazing professional peers...
As someone who typically enjoys my summers alone, especially after spending my work year with 200+ students, it was a pleasure meeting our project leads and educators from the Los Angeles area. I guess that makes us special, that when we return home from the expedition proximity will be one of our strengths in terms of keeping in touch. In the image above are our project leads: Tanner (left- Ph.D. student from Connecticut) and Danny (graduate student from University of Nevada, Reno).
In the larger group photo above are our educators from Los Angeles. From left to right:
- Charlene, Middle School Science Teacher
- Renee, Elementary School Science & All subjects teacher
- Christina, High School English teacher (She actually drove from SF)
- Me!
- Lizzette, High School Science Teacher
- Joshua, High School
- Chon, High School English Teacher
- Lindsay, Middle School Math and Science Teacher
- Ruben, Middle School Science Teacher
- Jenny, Middle School Science Teacher
Now to get to work!
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