Don't Die!

I've decided I deserve a break from packing. Not that I've been working at it all that long, but I still think I deserve a break. Yes, packing for my next adventure in South Africa has commenced. Tomorrow evening I start my trek to Mossel Bay, South Africa.

Now for a few frequently asked questions: 

1. Why are you going to South Africa?  I'm going to a marine lab called Oceans Research. If you've ever watched Shark Week on TV or similar programs, you may have actually heard of them or some of their researchers (their head researcher is Ryan Johnson) or at least seen some of their work. 

2. What are you going to study?  Sharks!! Although a lot of the lab's work is with Great White Sharks, they also work with many smaller species in the area. A lot of the work, especially with the Great Whites, is tagging and tracking movement. 

3. How in the world did you find this place?  Actually, they emailed my department chair about the intern program and he, knowing I was interested in marine biology and looking for internships, let me know. Sent in an application and the rest is history (or will be in a couple months). 

4. How long will you be there?  Two months. 

5. Sharks???  Yes! Sharks!

On that note: now to address what appears to be a primary concern for many. I have been warned quite frequently not to die. Don't worry, I'm not planning to. I plan to be very, very careful, to follow explicitly the instructions of the researchers I'm working under, but yes, I do plan to go on shark dives if I have the chance. They're amazing animals and really not as vicious or scary as Jaws or even some documentaries on TV make them seem. Yes, they've got lots of teeth--sharp teeth--so I have a healthy respect for them. However, I also have a healthy respect for the teeth in the mouth of my little sister's hamster. It's mostly an issue of being smart about what you're doing and how you're doing it. In conclusion, yes, I will be very careful. I certainly don't want to die!

My piles of clothing are beginning to eye me reproachfully... I should probably get back to work.