"Jack of all trades, master of none, though ofttimes better than master of one."

It's been an interesting last couple of weeks. I have been pretty busy with a handful of projects and other things, and now the Leatherback nesting season has begun. We haven't started on nightly beach monitoring yet, I think it might be another week or two away, which is just enough time for me to wrap up my work with Brimstone Hill.

The Brimstone Hill flora and fauna project I have been involved with started last September, and since it really is just Kate (works at B. Hill office) and myself, I can understand why it has taken this long! Our display of the various plants and animals you will encounter while at the Hill, can be found up at the Fort George Citadel museum. We've decorated shelves with specimens of plants and animals, and along the wall have cut out portrayals of the different birds, mammals, and reptiles. For more information on the flora and fauna of the Hill you need to look no further than the folder we created with photographs and details on the different species. It's been a long process to put it all together, but in the end has been a great educational experience for me. I have a pretty good grasp on a lot of the local vegetation and wildlife... maybe we could even say I have become one of the island experts on the natural environment? Ha ha, or at least the expert within my Peace Corps community!!

For the last month I have also been involved with the Nature Club at Maurice Hillier. We've been going over the different types of vertebrate animals, and I have been emphasizing the various island representatives of each class. For reptiles my friend Dr. Stewart from Ross University brought over some Red-Footed Tortoises that once used to inhabit the island (though they are originally from S. America). I've also brought in a toad and a bat for them. I wasn't sure how to bring a bird, but next we will go over fish, so I'll have to figure out what I can bring in for that!

Let's see... I've also been going up to the community center in my village a few times a week. Usually to give some extra helping hands with the Eagle Boys youth group, but also to help clean up and organize our neglected and forgotten library! My friend Liz has been trekking over from Cayon to come and help me on Tuesdays getting it all set up. We are hoping to get it opened up by the end of May or into the beginning of June. Definitely before we leave though!!

With any of my spare time during the week I help out at the St. Christopher Heritage Society Museum. They are setting up a new exhibit and I go in to help glue, cut, hang, and just entertain when I have some free time. They are hoping to have it finished by the 16th.

That pretty much sums up my "work" so far. Tonight will be a practice run for turtles. We are going to test out some new equipment for the beach and stay out only till about 1 am or so, and not the usual 5 am!! I'm not sure if I will be ready for that when it comes though!!