In the grand scheme of Africa, Gabon is here:
And within Gabon, the town of Gamba is here:
Briefly about Gamba: Colonized by the French, it became independent in 1960 and is pretty economically stable in part due to its oil exports. Also because of the oil, a ton of rainforest and biodiversity has been conserved because the country hasn't had to rely heavily on other extractive practices like logging or mining, although that does still happen.
SO the Smithsonian Institute (along with other organizations like WWF) have set up in the Gamba Complex, which is an area of high biodiversity and oil export, in order to research the impacts of development on biodiversity, etc. etc. More on that in their own words here.
I will be interning with the Smithsonian and working with their Gabon Biodiversity Program, although what specific projects I will be working on remains unseen. So far I know that there will be field work, lab work, I'll probably monitor elephant herds. More on that to come!
As far as the town I'll be living in: Gamba was a little itty bitty coastal village until oil was found there. Since then it has grown to be about 9,000 people, many of which work for Shell Oil Company. Others there work for the various NGOs of the area. No banks, movie theaters or clubs, but there are mango trees, elephants and a beach so I'll make do. Sidenote: French is the language of Gabon, so that'll be interesting.
I'll be living in a dorm with Gabonese students who are interning with Shell. I'll have my own room and a co-ed communal bathroom (which will be a first for me). Apparently the dorm room is "rustic" but I'll be bringing some lovely photos of my friends & fam, and a couple of farewell art pieces that Becca and Morgan made me (thanks guys) to decorate. I was really on the fence about bringing my Totoro but then I decided that my dorm mates would think I was weird.
So there's a little bit of info about whats what. This'll be a funny blog because it will be read by people who know me very well and have been with me every step of the way thus far, as well as those who have only hardly heard of what I'm doing. So forgive me if it's a little long-winded sometimes.
Today has been full of goodbyes but also a lot of excitement. Right now my mind is a continual check-list of things I need to do with only one day left. It'll be spent in the company of my family plus Minh Khoa doing last minute things and NOT forgetting to take my typhoid medication again. If anyone who reads this ever has any questions about what I'm doing or anything specific, feel free to ask in the comment sections or email me or whatever.
To the beautiful people who I left in Eugene today, I love you very much and I'll see you in the fall.
- A
I will be interning with the Smithsonian and working with their Gabon Biodiversity Program, although what specific projects I will be working on remains unseen. So far I know that there will be field work, lab work, I'll probably monitor elephant herds. More on that to come!
As far as the town I'll be living in: Gamba was a little itty bitty coastal village until oil was found there. Since then it has grown to be about 9,000 people, many of which work for Shell Oil Company. Others there work for the various NGOs of the area. No banks, movie theaters or clubs, but there are mango trees, elephants and a beach so I'll make do. Sidenote: French is the language of Gabon, so that'll be interesting.
I'll be living in a dorm with Gabonese students who are interning with Shell. I'll have my own room and a co-ed communal bathroom (which will be a first for me). Apparently the dorm room is "rustic" but I'll be bringing some lovely photos of my friends & fam, and a couple of farewell art pieces that Becca and Morgan made me (thanks guys) to decorate. I was really on the fence about bringing my Totoro but then I decided that my dorm mates would think I was weird.
So there's a little bit of info about whats what. This'll be a funny blog because it will be read by people who know me very well and have been with me every step of the way thus far, as well as those who have only hardly heard of what I'm doing. So forgive me if it's a little long-winded sometimes.
Today has been full of goodbyes but also a lot of excitement. Right now my mind is a continual check-list of things I need to do with only one day left. It'll be spent in the company of my family plus Minh Khoa doing last minute things and NOT forgetting to take my typhoid medication again. If anyone who reads this ever has any questions about what I'm doing or anything specific, feel free to ask in the comment sections or email me or whatever.
To the beautiful people who I left in Eugene today, I love you very much and I'll see you in the fall.
- A
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