Student Field Notes from the Amazon
How to Prepare for the Trip of a Lifetime: Student Field Report
2015 Student Field Reporter Project: Our partners at Amazon Rainforest Workshops enlisted the help of several students to share their 2015 Amazon experiences with us. Over the coming months we will regularly feature their posts, photos, and reflections – letting them tell their amazing stories of the Amazon and it’s impact on their lives!
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Reporter: Sophie P. (middle school student, Sidwell Friends School)
Location: Sidwell Friends School classroom, Washington D.C.
“Wow, our trip to the Amazon leaves in 9 days,” and the whole room seems to radiate. Everyone is so excited for the journey and the adventure ahead!
“I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path and I will leave a trail” – Muriel Strode
For the past two months we have had several Amazon trip meetings, with the enthusiasm building up as the journey nears.
At our first meeting, all of my peers shared a rose and a thorn, or something that we are excited for, and something thatwe are nervous about. The majority of the answers revolved around being excited for the canopy walk in the trees, but many of my friends were nervous about bugs, snakes, and especially tarantulas.
So, my teachers spent the meeting discussing the various harmful creatures in the Amazon, and the chances of getting hurt by one of them: slim to none!
At our next meeting, we watched a video on the rainforest wildlife, mainly about parasitism with cowbirds, which are birds that take the eggs out of other birds’ nests and replace them with their own, so that the other birds raise their young. We also learned about toucans and aracaris, which are very colorful birds that I am very excited to see.
Most of our other meetings covered helpful information about our trip, like not to drink any water that you do not know the source of, and, obviously, listen to the guides when you are on the trails!
We’ve been given loads of hand-outs with background information including a very long list of the cool birds that we will see, and by long, I mean more than 100 types.
Last week I went shopping for the expedition. I bought lots of bug spray, sunscreen, and a pair of hiking boots. My group was told to make sure that we have shoes that we can get muddy, to stay covered in lightweight clothing, and to wear an ample amount of bug spray to avoid getting bitten.
Today was one of our last trip meetings. As the student field reporter for the expedition, I interviewed my friends and asked them what they were most excited about and why.
Many friends are excited to spend time on the rainforest canopy walk at ACTSPeru, and view the beautiful scenery. Another friend is very enthusiastic about going stargazing at night.
Personally, I am ecstatic to meet and trade with the Yagua people.
Overall, I’m so thrilled to be going to the Amazon River in Peru for this trip of a lifetime, and I can’t believe that I will have the opportunity to personally see the wildlife that I only thought I could view in nature videos. 🙂
Submitted by Sophie P., Sidwell Friends School, ’19 2015 Student Field Reporter
Re-posted from our friends at Amazon Rainforest Workshops.
