un mes más

Today Chad and I had a conversation that went like this:

Me: "We get to see each other so soon! This week I prepare for Nilsa (my advisor)'s visit, then she is here for a week, then I prepare for the IGERT meeting, then I have that for a week, then I get to see you in Colorado! Then I have visitors in June, then the teak blooms in July, then I see you in August, then..." (and so on until I had summarized the next 10 months in such a manner)

Chad: "Just wait until you get a little older. You'll be referring to time in years instead of months because time just keeps going more and more quickly." 

I paraphrased that a little bit. But it really blows my mind how the older I get + the busier I get + the more fully I enjoy myself, the more quickly time slides through my fingers. Take the last month or so:

I had such a great time with Chad: We went to Isla Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua, climbed a volcano, visited 4 beaches on the peninsula, did field work, cooked together, swam in the neighborhood pool, and had an awesome pirate-themed party for Chad, Kahlil, and Ilianet. 

Party! Party! Party!

I also started doing hardcore field work! Everyday I get up at 530am. By 630 am I pick up Cundo, the world's best teacher/field assistant. Then, we either search for more parcels, collect traps, or set up new ones. It involves climbing steep farms and constantly talking Spanish, so by time I get back at noon I am EXHAUSTED. Then I have to answer emails, pin insects, try to identify a few, and attempt to keep up with my team/student duties. I will post a blog soon with photos from my coffee farms and pastures... not sure why my teak parcels get all of the photographic attention:

Sometimes I post pictures of myself looking kind of nice while I do fieldwork. Those pictures are lies.

Here is one from one of the days where Chad was throwing rope into the teak canopy for me. Still can't figure out how he did that. Oscar and I spent a full hour trying to get one rock over the lowest branch ever. 

Other than that, I have tried to keep the last week more or less uneventful except for work (7 days a week!)  One big event did happen yesterday... I bought hens! Four "rescue hens" from the egg farm. These ladies are enjoying their space, vegetable castings, over-ripe mango, and sweet exercise equipment. I would like them to roam free but I've seen what the neighbor's fighting roosters do to a pretty young hen. Plus, I'm quite certain they wouldn't know what to do with that kind of freedom.

I got four eggs this morning! Already thinking about buying a few chicks to raise for meat. 

 Also I set rat poison because the squeaking and running in the ceiling is no longer passing for geckos.