no cars go where we know

i went up to tucson last weekend to help my dad prepare for the move to boston - help clean, pack, offer mental support, etc.

but, that's not what i want to talk about. i want to talk about what my car looked like when i left mexico:





because believe it or not, my car doesn't look that dirty in mexico. it blends in really nicely in mexico. but then, as i was driving into tucson, i thought, my goodness, my car is absolutely covered in sand and sticks out. a lot!. i did drive it around tucson a bit and realized i could barely see out the windows, and so i decided to wash it.

and now that it's all clean and shiny ... it looks really weird in mexico.

it's everything you need

life here has been going really well. it's funny - on the drive down here from arizona, it looks so barren compared to the sonoran desert i'm used to, and, at first look, there isn't much around here.

and then you start to look a bit deeper and learn a bit more.

i think i've already said all this, so don't mind my repetition: the northern gulf of california is an extremely unique ecosystem. here in peñasco, we're located near two biosphere reserves - the colorado river delta and pinacate biosphere. the tidal range is 24 feet (vertical feet. at cholla bay, it goes at five MILES during the best tides). the sea here has a very high biodiversity, richness, the tidepooling is fantastic, there are seven estuaries in the area that are part of the pacific migratory route.

i am just ... impressed by what i'm finding. i think i've mentioned that peñasco itself isn't that exciting (i mean, the town has only existed about 100 years), but the area is just fabulous.

at CEDO, our mission is to integrate science and community for the conservation of the upper gulf. and my part of that is to work with visiting groups - academic or casual - who come and stay here at the field station. there have been four groups since i started, and i'm really enjoying it. i love meeting new and interesting people and chatting. CEDO offers a variety of different tours to visit the most impressive places in the area, and i .. just really like communicating to people how cool a place this is. i always said i could teach if i got to work with people who were interested and who wanted to learn, and here i get to do that.

i feel pretty happy with that.

i am feeling happier that i have in a while. i'd been having some serious doubts about my life choices since i graduated from college - especially since brad, the parents, and my friends are all now in boston - but, you know, i think being here is going to be fabulous. i did sign a contract to be here until july 2010, which is a crazy long time for me. even though it makes me a bit scared, i'm also really excited to have so long to really be here.

i promise i'll be better about writing and posting pictures. i must say that i've been doing my best to dive into life here and have therefore kind-of forgotten about blogging. i'll do better - i've got some pretty cool shots of the area that i'll post next time :)