Internship site: San Diego Zoo
Department: Primatology
Project Title: Gorillas: Patterns, Behaviors, & Observations
(Eh I might change it because it sounds a little boring. If you have suggestions, then please comment!)
General Description: The project will feature a packet similar to a magazine that contains each Gorilla's profile, photos, notes, and Focal sheets that I have gathered over the period of my internship.
Learning Objectives: Photography, Writing, Excel spreadsheets, and Adobe Illustrator.
Organization/Company Objectives & Benefits: My work that I have done for them will be presented nicely in a format that all Zoo guests can possibly view.
Schedule: I will take photos every day, enter the Focal Sheets into Excel during the weekends, and work with Adobe Illustrator every night.
Academic Skills: Writing
Technical Skills: Excel, Adobe Illustrator, Photography
Collaboration—Skills and Opportunities: Working with my mentor, and the Gorillas Zookeeper Nate.
Exhibition Plans: Decorate a table with leaves, make it look like a jungle, have the packet out, with a collage of photos in the background.
Summary of the Week:
Some highlights throughout my week varied. It ranged from lunch with friends, to employee perks, to a fight between a Silverback and his son. When the week first started, I was very cold since it rained and I was wearing a (cute but) tiny jacket. On Wednesday, I had lunch with my boyfriend and his sister and her friends. On Thursday, I had lunch with Alana and Oscar, where we saw a mini pony, went on the Sky-Fari, and got a free ice cream. Today, I had lunch with Oscar and Celeste, and then walked around with them to the Petting Zoo, Sky-Fari, and Koala Palooza event. I voted for the new baby Koala's name: Miya. It means Moon in some language, but I thought that was cute. I also bonded with the Gorillas Zookeeper. One's name is Fernando and he comes two days a week. He's nice. The other Zookeeper's name is Nate, and he's pretty cool. We both listen to the same music, and he's let me come to the area where he feeds the Gorillas.
However, throughout this week, I did face some challenges. One was the fact that I couldn't see most of the Apes when I recorded them at the normal view point (down near the glass). Everyone was getting in the way, children kept sitting on my work, and people kept interrupting me asking what I was doing. In the end, I decided that I was much better off on the roof. There were and still are the occasional "WHAT UP"s and "HEY! YOU IN THE PURPLE!" but I guess that's normal, right?
Another challenge I faced was buying food. The food costs a lot at the Zoo and I was not aware of my employee perks until yesterday, when I had lunch with Alana and Oscar. Apparently, there is a secret hidden cafeteria for employees, where I now go to get coffee for 75 cents.
I worked with others quite well. Like I said, I bonded well with Fernando and Nate. Oh! And Sarah came to the Zoo for my site visit. We let her come up to the roof, where she was astounded to be so close to the Gorillas. I think the best part for her was that Greg let her look through the roof, into their pens, where she saw Paul (our largest Silverback) napping.
Something that I saw that I definitely did not expect was a fight between the Silverback "Memba" and his son Mandazzi. It was over food, and that's predictable for Mandazzi, but between him and his father- I didn't expect that.
If I had to describe my first week to someone who has never had an internship, I would explain them exactly the way I explained it here in this blog. I've never had one before, so I think this is the perfect way to explain. I would also tell them that I've enjoyed these few weeks.
