07/03/2013 “I say Goodbye, and you say Hello...Hello, Hello!”

Wow! How quick a month flies by! As I am writing this we are closing the last week for the majority of our volunteers, and awaiting the arrival of our new ones.

In our time on Curieuse, both the volunteers and the projects have grown so much! We began our time as eager learners – curious about Curieuse- and now, have become confident leaders.

Our wurtles (long turtle walks), have gone from being led to leading - taking charge of finding sinkholes, excavating, and recording data. We have seen huge success in the growth of our turtle program. It’s a very promising future, indeed.

Our perceptions of Coco de Mer missions have changed from sweaty hike to an enjoyable hike. We’ve gone from scrambling up rocky terrain with the grace of Bambi on ice, to running up the hills like an Olympian. Our aim is to complete our data within the timeline we were given, and we are very confident that it will happen!

Patrick’s beloved bird program has begun to take flight, with the setting up of long tweets to include our mangroves. With the data we collect, we will up the conservation value of Curieuse, helping to preserve this precious paradise.

The muddy, smelly, sink-hole filled mangroves have taken a special place in our hearts, as we watched the birth of a new methodology that will help future volunteers collect data for several years.

In one month’s time, things have grown - on this island, in our research, and within ourselves. Now, comes the time to pass the torch to fresh, new, eager volunteers so that the growth can continue.

07/03/2013 “I say Goodbye, and you say Hello...Hello, Hello!”