Post 1: First Day of Orientation

I started orientation looking lost and stumbling into a hotel conference room knowing I was at least an hour late.  You can typically gauge how lost and how late you are when

   1. People who don't know you volunteer information about your whereabouts for you and

   2. When you walk into the room you belong in the 40 odd people inside all watch in wonder as you stumble over your own bags to find an open seat.

Shortly after walking into the silent room the ice was broken by Emily Poore, a staffer from the Student Conservation Association(SCA).  She came right up to me and said "Hi Zack! Most of us already ate but I put aside some food for you so you can just pull up a seat and eat.  We will be starting shortly."  And just like that orientation begun.

We had some light warm up activities like a massive floor puzzle in which the pieces each reflected an interesting part of some of each of the other interns. Then we had a few speakers from both the Fish and Wildlife Service and the SCA including some basic norms and expectations for the rest of the week.

After the orientation, I went back to my dorm to find out out that my roommate hadn't even landed yet. That night, approaching midnight the sound of the retreating electronic lock made it to my ears.  Moments later I met Phillip, the cause of the sound and the stranger who might change this internship for the better.