I've ignored this blog for the past month as I've been super busy with 2 on-going projects at work and I was away to Mossel Bay and Cape Town with the South African Environmental Observation Network. It was such a relaxed trip and we ended up finishing our work early, which meant 4 days in Cape Town to enjoy the city. I went with Nikki, Sean and Tanith and we were collecting water and benthic samples from the two harbours for analysis. It was truly a perfect way to finish up my internship here in South Africa.
This week I have been scrambling to finish my sections on the Risk Assessment for the Introduction of Nile tilapia into the Eastern Cape as well as Environmental Impacts of Aquaculture for the Environmental Management Plan for South African Aquaculture. Overall, I'm pleased with the work I've done here at Enviro-Fish Africa and I'm excited to see the final outcome of these reports. It's very satisfactory to know that the work I've done will contribute towards environmental conservation efforts here in South Africa. I'm thrilled to have had this opportunity and I feel lucky to have been given the chance to travel to a new part of the world and gain experience in this field. Despite returning to Canada with no job and no place to live, I can't say I would change things or what I've done to make it to this point. I know things will work themselves out and I'll be okay. Thankfully, I have the support of family and friends that I know will help me along the way (I hope so anyway...)
This week I have been scrambling to finish my sections on the Risk Assessment for the Introduction of Nile tilapia into the Eastern Cape as well as Environmental Impacts of Aquaculture for the Environmental Management Plan for South African Aquaculture. Overall, I'm pleased with the work I've done here at Enviro-Fish Africa and I'm excited to see the final outcome of these reports. It's very satisfactory to know that the work I've done will contribute towards environmental conservation efforts here in South Africa. I'm thrilled to have had this opportunity and I feel lucky to have been given the chance to travel to a new part of the world and gain experience in this field. Despite returning to Canada with no job and no place to live, I can't say I would change things or what I've done to make it to this point. I know things will work themselves out and I'll be okay. Thankfully, I have the support of family and friends that I know will help me along the way (I hope so anyway...)
I'm off tonight to Port Elizabeth to see Celine Dion live in concert. Haha...although I can't say I'm her #1 fan, I thought it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up...come on...I'm in South Africa people...how funny to see her when I would never go to a concert back home!?
Saturday morning, bright and early I'm saying goodbye to Grahamstown, the place I've called home for the past 6-months. Although I couldn't see myself live here forever, it's been nice to settle here for the internship and meet the people I have. I'm definitely going to miss the people at SAEON, EFA and of course the Drake family, who we rented our flats from and got to know very well.
I'm excited to travel again and I'm flying up to Durban, meeting Chantelle there then we're hiring a car and going scuba diving at Aliwal shoal. This is supposed to be the best place in South Africa to scuba dive and I can't believe it's taken me this whole internship to get into the water. I think the wait will be well worth it and one of the dives will be a wreck dive, which are my favourite!
From Durban, we’re flying back to Port Elizabeth for a few days then going our separate ways. I’m off to England before returning to Halifax and Chantelle is heading home to Calgary. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without Chantelle for different parts of this experience. It was incredible sharing it with another Canadian and I’m thankful we got along so well. It could have been long 6-months if we didn’t hit it off!
So I guess for now this is a goodbye. I’ve enjoyed being able to write out my thoughts and adventures and share them with you. I know this has been a life-changing experience and for those I will see in the near future, you must understand that I’m coming home with a new perspective on the world and although I’m the same girl, I have new found knowledge that will forever change my ideas and beliefs about life. Wow- I am getting far too philosophical!!!
From Durban, we’re flying back to Port Elizabeth for a few days then going our separate ways. I’m off to England before returning to Halifax and Chantelle is heading home to Calgary. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without Chantelle for different parts of this experience. It was incredible sharing it with another Canadian and I’m thankful we got along so well. It could have been long 6-months if we didn’t hit it off!
So I guess for now this is a goodbye. I’ve enjoyed being able to write out my thoughts and adventures and share them with you. I know this has been a life-changing experience and for those I will see in the near future, you must understand that I’m coming home with a new perspective on the world and although I’m the same girl, I have new found knowledge that will forever change my ideas and beliefs about life. Wow- I am getting far too philosophical!!!
All my love,
Melinda
Melinda
