I feel that this project is making a huge positive impact on the environment and surrounding community. It is an awesome bunch of people doing amazing work and i’m proud I got to be a part of this impact.
Meeting new people from around the globe was enlightening and rewarding. Although the other interns/students were great, it was the local people’s generosity and welcoming attitudes that really blew me away. I think having the project make a positive contribution to their lives definitely strengthens this relationship.
I would recommend this project to anyone who is adventurous and keen to learn! I would go back in a heartbeat!
I worked for MNB World in Ulaanbaatar for three weeks now and it’s safe to say that it was really worth it. I was assigned to a lovely host family who took great care of me all the way through the internship. Although they were required to prepare only breakfasts and dinners, I was basically constantly fed by them during my entire stay. They were very hospitable and always made sure I am not hungry which was a great gesture on their part. Furthermore, they took me to trips around the city, and one weekend we even drove to Terelj National Park with their extended family!
Whilst living in Mongolia, food was definitely one of the main issues I had to get used to. Mongolian cuisine is heavily reliant on meat (although Mongolians constantly eating horse meat is a myth), so if you are a vegetarian it could be a real challenge to make it through. Fruits and vegetables are easily available in the shops, so that’s a way to bypass this issue. When reading about Mongolia before my trip, I thought that people’s complaints about food were petty. Soon I realised that it could be a genuine problem for someone who is more picky than myself. So definitely take that into consideration, if you are not too flexible in terms of food. Also, there are some European restaurants downtown, but they are significantly more expensive than the local restaurants.
The internship itself allowed me to experience many strands of journalist work. Some days were slow and involved office work (helping with the social media, editing texts for the news anchors, etc.), but I personally really enjoyed the ones when we went out with the news team in the field. I was very lucky, as my internship coincided with MNB World preparing videos about tourist attractions in, and outside of, UB. This meant I got to take part in many activities, such as horse riding, rock climbing or ATV driving, and prepare a programme about them. And although this was probably a one-off opportunity, the team definitely was doing their best to involve me in as many interesting things as possible.
It is also important to note MNB World’s mission, which is to PROMOTE Mongolia, rather than to REPORT on what is happening in the country. So, if you, like me, are interested in investigative journalism, that’s not the place for it. Nevertheless, work at MNB World allowed me to see a lot of the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into creating content for a TV News channel.
People in the office were all very open and helpful. One of my best friends turned out to be a cameraman – he couldn’t speak English, and I didn’t understand Mongolian, but it still wasn’t an obstacle for us to bond really well. Also, although not many people speak English in Mongolian, almost everyone at MNB World does. This meant that I rarely felt alienated, and there was always someone to help me with money exchange, ordering a meal, topping up a SIM card or numerous other things that could be quite challenging.
Perhaps the thing I will not miss about Mongolia is the public transportation system. The buses are quite small, and are almost always absolutely filled up. On hot June afternoons this was a real struggle. UB is a relatively small capital city, but they have enormous traffic problems. Often there were instances where we would be stuck in a traffic jam for over an hour. Also, the Mongolian driving culture is far different from the one in Europe. The drivers don’t stop to let through pedestrians at the crossings, they often change lanes without signalling or stop abruptly, which constantly leads to dangerous situations on the road. Somehow, car accidents seem to be rare, and I was told that over the last couple of years the overall driving conditions have significantly improved.
Another issue one quickly notices is that Mongolians don’t always know how to react to foreign faces. I had to get used to being constantly stared at, which obviously is not the most comfortable experience. On the other hand, almost everyone I spoke to turned out to be really welcoming and caring – even if the language barrier was a huge obstacle.
I would recommend it to people who like to walk off the beaten track and are open to something that could take them out of their comfort zone. The office work is pretty standard, but everything that happened outside it really differed from my life in Poland and England. If you try to maintain a positive approach, remain curious and sometimes just go with the things even if you are not sure what’s happening, you can have some fascinating experiences in Mongolia. Finally, working for a news team is an incredible way to explore the country really cheap. We were always using company cars and drivers, and many of the activities were completely free/covered by MNB.
Overall this project is a great place to pursue hands-on experience in wildlife biology as well as many other biological professions. Due to there being little known about the island it is very untouched and survey due to hard access to certain areas. So if your in need of hands-on experience, a university masters project, or even a Phd project this is the place for it. The staff at the project are young and thoroughly experienced in various fields of study. They are positively impacting so many avenues of biodiversity through education, conservation, along with some rehabilitation.
I feel I have learned a lot thus far and with just under two weeks left I am eager to learn more. One of the most things I’m proud of is I co-authored my first scientific paper with Tom Brown on the parcel consumption of bats by the green vine snake. I have learned how to format and write these notes/papers for further use in my own state. Should be published by August. I also was grateful for an opportunity to help Emma from the University of Whales on her masters project. This consisted of surveys with Hemadactylos and the Phylladactalus which is am endemic species of Utila, Honduras. She is looking at the effects of the invasive Asian house gecko on the endemic species. I’ve also been able to catch a decent amount snakes that I also took some data/measurements.
Some challenges I had to overcome my shy-ness at first but I got over it. The staff was very kind and made be feel very comfortable. They do a good job including everybody and making everybody feel like a part of something aa if they are contributing as one of them. Arrival was very smooth I didn’t have any hick-ups along the way. The island life here was pretty easy to adjust to as well. The people that call this island home are very welcoming and friendly as there is a lot lf people here who are tourist or students. All in all I would definitely recommend this to a friend.
Over the past two weeks I have had an incredible opportunity to travel to Lobitos, Peru for an internship with this NGO. Lobitos, which is a military province of Talara had originally been developed solely for petroleum, however, now is regarded as one of the best, secret surf spots in Peru.
As a reforestation intern I worked with the project on various projects. Some of these projects included maintenance of the Zion Forest; a dry forest the project has planted in hopes of creating a sanctuary for the Peruvian Plantcutter, a native bird that is in danger of extinction. Each of these plants are natie to Peru; trees like algorrobo, palo negro, palo verde, and the azote de cristo are some of the most popular plants we use. The Peruvian Plantcutter is native to northern Peru since they prefer open and dry areas, like the desert landscape of Talara. In fact, on my very first day working with the project , I was able to hear their distinct calls and see three of these birds, one of which was just a baby. Unfortunately, there are only as few as 500 adult birds left of this species. Because of this, it is critical to rehabilitate the dry forests these birds live in to ensure the survival of their species.
We worked with the community in nearby provinces, educating the residents on topics such as reusing grey water, organic materials, and inorganic materials. In addition, many of these community members were gifted native plants from the project and are now being monitored to track their growth. I was very proud of my work with this project. I was able to tag along and sit in on a monitoring survey interview with a community member of Piedritas and see how his plants have grown over the one year that this project has been operating. After, I was tasked with comparing the data recorded over the year and creating an analysis report of the projects impact on the community. In addition, I created a spreadsheet which now tracts the average amount of water and organic materials being reused in Piedritas and Lobitos over each monitoring session. Seeing how much the project has grown over time really showed the dedication of the community and their passion for these native plants and animals.
Sanitation is another serious issue in this region as the infrastructure is weak as well as it is difficult to access large quantities of clean water. The project has crafted two very unique projects to try and combat the sewage waste issue. Instead of contributing to the waste buildup, the project has developed a dry toilet that instead turns waste into compost which can be used for planting. In addition, we have installed vetiver grass into one of the waste disposal sites. Vetiver grass acts as a purifier in bodies of water which is why we are using it to test to see if it can reduce the toxicity of the sewage disposal.
With the different projects I worked on as well as hearing about the projects my peers are working on, I believe we are making an impact. Considering the resources available as well as those that are more scarce, the project strives to create effective solutions to issues impacting the community using what is available to us and our creativity. While there were some challenges along the way, having a passionate and dedicated team made them easy to overcome. One major challenge was getting in contact with the families to monitor the growth of their plants. However, we were able to work together to call some of these individuals to get the monitoring done. In addition, once a week, everyone comes together for planting day and together we take care of maintenance around the house like fixing the fence and cleaning and reorganizing our storage closet. Having a very friendly work environment helps overcome the different challenged because, I know there is always someone here willing to lend a hand.
Not only did I have a lot of fun learning about and taking care of the native plants, but I have made a lot of friends during my time. This past weekend we were able to take a few trips and see local attractions. First, we went to Las Capullanas where we hiked across the caves to watch the sunset and even hiked down the side of the structure and explored some of the caves. The next day, we traveled to Los Organos to see the sea turtles. First, I learned about the transportation systems that run throughout this region. In order to get into Talara, we had to walk and catch a combi, you wait for it to fill up with other locals before leaving, and then once in Talara, we took the Eppo bus to our final destination. Here, we walked to the beach and instantly were able to see wild sea turtles swimming around. We walked onto the pier to leave our bags and then climbed down into the water. The locals cut fish to throw into the water so the turtles stay nearby but as we swam with them, sometimes they would brush against you and you were able to feel their texture. Many had barnacles stuck to their shells and their flipper arms and legs were like a soft leather. I had never seen such wild sea animals that close before, it is for sure a memory I will never forget.
Overall, I had an unforgettable two weeks working and exploring Lobitos, Peru with the project . I have learned so many unique things about this region, about its native plants, and how the project is working to improve the natural aspect of the region with the help of the community. I have eaten tons of unique fruits, like granadilla and chirimoya, as well as seen tons of wild animals ranging from horses to scorpions. I knew coming to volunteer in Peru would be a unique experience, however, my time here has been above and beyond what I imagined. I am proud of the work I did and very impressed with what the project is doing here and can’t wait to book my next trip back.
Do you feel the project makes an impact in its field?
As a recent graduate of an agricultural program at University, with a specific focus on international and sustainable agriculture this project definitely makes an impact in its field. Chris and Celeni were looking at various different cropping methods and environmental tactics to create a sustainable farm. With a specific focus on carbon sequestration and carbon draw down, this project makes a large impact in setting an example for all farms environmental impact, especially tropical farms.
Do you feel that you have made a difference to the project?
I believe that I was a helpful asset to this project, but was not there long enough to make a difference to the project. Although my help was greatly appreciated, I believe that a longer internship would prove to be more influential on the farm and in various projects.
What challenges have you encountered?
Entering this internship, I thought there would be more people and interns on the farm upon my arrival. However, this was not the case. As an individual, I am very independent and I do not like to feel like a burden so the first few days of settling in were difficult but it was a challenge to overcome. I am so glad that the first few days were just a bump in the project and the rest of my time was educational and fun.
What successes are you proud of?
I am proud of what I was able to learn from this experience. Through tropical agriculture systems on a large and small scale, medicinal plants, environmental concerns and mitigation solutions. After making coconut oil, I now understand why it is so expensive and would say that this was a success that I was proud of after a 2 day post harvest processing system it was a lot of work.
Did the project meet your expectations?
The project met my expectations through education and experiences on the farm. Celeni and Chris are extremely knowledgeable in various fields, especially in agriculture and environmental concerns. As an agriculture student who studied international agriculture it was amazing to finally see the crops I have learned so much about growing and maturing before my own eyes.
Would you recommend this project to a friend?
I personally do now know of anyone who would be suited for a project like this, however if I were to meet someone with similar interests as Chris and Celeni I would recommend this to anyone with interests in environmental conservation and agriculture sustainability.
Overall, I thought this was an amazing experience with a lot of education build into it. I was able to apply the studies from my undergraduate degree and expand upon my own curiosities. I could be back to this farm in the future for research purposes. I will not forget the three weeks I got to spend with such great people.
“This marks the first two weeks of an incredibly eye-opening and enriching Amazon Forest Food and Culinary Arts Internship.”
Day 1
I arrived by plane at Mariscal Sucre International Airport early in the morning and quickly grabbed a taxi to a quaint hostel in Quito within the Tababela region.
Day 2
A good portion of the morning was spent on the road from Quito to Tena, Ecuador where the organization’s headquarters is based. I was greeted by a quiet and calm driver accompanied by two additional passengers for the journey to Tena. Our morning drive was marked by the dramatic scenery of huge cliff faces, cascading waterfalls, and a diversity of green vegetation blanketing high steep mountains up to the roadside. This drive from the dry cool Sierra’s of Quito moving southeast to the Amazon lowland river city of Tena, was a splendid introduction to the natural beauty and diversity of Ecuador.
Day 3
The project briefing and introductions with my new host family were complete. I started the day with an early breakfast before sunrise and a lively discussion in broken Spanish with the host family about public transportation and navigating the cities of San Pablo, Archidona and Tena. The rest of the day was spent traversing the gorgeous, humid, lush chakra farm with Don Clemente, the head of the kichwa host family. It was explained by Don Clemente that this chakra-farm was an intelligently established and managed system stewarded over many generations of his family members. We harvested several tropical foods like yuca, fern heads and large bamboo stems throughout the day while discussing the colorful history of the landscape.
Day 4
Don Clemente and I were up before sunrise, earlier than normal, and with heavy rain beating down on us. We had eaten breakfast quickly and were making headway up a granite road which served as the only clear path for cars and pedestrians to Don Clemente’s farm-chakra. The rest of the day was spent intensively harvesting fern heads, maito leaves for cooking Amazonian food, tilapia from Clemente’s cascading ponds, bamboo stems, a variety of peppers, yuca from the soil below, and sweet salat fruit from the base of thorny cacti like plant species. We broke up the day with firewood cutting and detailed discussion of plant species that had been collected.
Fig 1. A collage of Amazonian foods and medicines identified within the chakra-farm.
Day 5
I had the opportunity to visit an intercultural primary and secondary school in San Pablo, Napo, Ecuador. This visit to the school was spontaneous and initiated through an invite by my kichwa host family. They had administrative business to take care of at the school and brought me along for the ride. The head of the kichwa household, Don Clemente made the introduction with school officials and instructors. This introduction quickly turned into an invite by a few instructors to have me in some of their classes to talk about gastronomy and agriculture. I accepted the invite and worked with the instructors on the details.
Day 6
The kichwa host family and I were out the door and trekking up to the chakra-farm at seven in the morning to prepare for a traditional amazon dinner booked at the restaurant. We all carried a load of cooking equipment or fresh local amazon produce in large baskets slung over our back and secured with a rope handle resting on our heads. Dona Elena and I started food prep and equipment cleaning. While food prep was going Don Clemente started two open fires under a bamboo shelter and had water boiling straight away. By noon the kitchen was running like a well-oiled machine with more family members coming in to assist with food harvest from the chakra, food prep of over twenty different foods, tending the fires, and dining room preparation. The thirty restaurant customers arrived at sunset and started with a tour of the farm before digging into a magnificent amazon feast.
Day 7
I spent the day exploring the closest major outpost city of Archidona. The day was spent navigating the streets for the best coffee shops, utilizing internet cafes, and sampling food in Mercado’s big and small.
Day 8
The day was spent in the chakra-farm clearing new footpaths with a machete, sampling food/medicine from the forest, and discussing the benefits of each plant from a consumption-flavor or ecological standpoint.
Fig 2. Trekking the Amazonian Chakra food production system established and managed by Don Clemente who is front and center.
Day 9
The day was spent at the local bilingual international school speaking to eleventh graders about gastronomy and agriculture.
Day 10
My time was spent resting and hanging around the house with the host family. I hopped on the bus to Archidona in the evening to restock on home care supplies and sample the street food scene only available after sunset.
Day 11
The host family and I were out the door, in the restaurant and cooking by seven-thirty in the morning for another dinner service. At around noon a group of the cooks including myself left the kitchen for the chakra to harvest burlap sacks of guayusa which is a special green or brown leaf traditionally consumed by the kichwa as a tea and is exported internationally as an ingredient in energy drinks. This day of cooking and harvest ended around a table of amazing amazon food and with new friends from the United States. The evening ended with heartbreaking goodbyes to my host family.
Fig 3. The main kitchen and production center of Don Clemente’s Chakra Restaurant.
Day 12
I spent the day exploring the city of Tena, sharing my observations with the organization, and preparing for the long drive back to Quito.
Day 13
This last day was spent curating photos, sending my virtual goodbyes to new friends, and journaling about the sublime internship. It was full of humor, laughter, the occasional awkwardness when parts of a conversation get lost in translation, vibrant indigenous customs, and an endless bounty of amazon foods.
“As I near the completion of my project, the wildlife and travel photography internship in South Africa, I’ve had a chance to reflect on the past month and all it has entailed. The program is very much designed around the importance of conservation of the environment and wildlife, and to this end the aim is very clear. As a photographer, my role was to document through photography this wildlife while improving my skills as a photographer. I feel that this project makes a great impact in the area of conservation as the project plays a big role is raising awareness of various issues and works directly with many local businesses and organizations. I feel that I have been able to contribute greatly to this as a photography intern, as some of my photos have been incorporated into various journal articles. The main challenges that I have faced have been trying to learn about the relevant issues and use photography in a way that accurately reflects those. Photographing wildlife is not an easy task, and through a month long program with guided instruction I feel that my skills have improved a lot, and feel ready to produce similar quality images in any place that I might find myself in the future. I am proud of the fact that I have been able to see the results of my work through improved images that I have produced and this is a very satisfying feeling.
I would say the project exceeded my expectations, as I have been able to both experience a wonderful new country and have also been able to get lots of hands on training with photography that I consider highly valuable. Having said that I would definitely recommend this project to anyone interested in photography, journalism, film, and wildlife and environmental issues.”
During a two week visit to the marine research centre in Tofo, Mozambique, I joined Katie Reeve-Arnold and her team in collecting and processing data on local marine megafauna. The research centre monitors: whale sharks, turtles, dolphins, rays (including small eyed sting rays), and humpback whales. To monitor the health of the local reefs, cleaning stations, and marine life, the research centre also records data on 60 species of reef fish.
Challenges
Having only completed my Open Water PADI certification in January 2018, I found the scuba diving fairly challenging. This was particularly so as the currents and drifts were strong at times. However, through completing a refresher course on arrival and then diving almost every day, I improved my diving and felt increasingly confident under the water. By the end of the two weeks I was comfortably able to collect fish ID data, swim short distances with the megafauna (on snorkel), and identify and record their characteristics, behaviour, and general health state.
Successes
We attended lectures in the first week to learn about whale shark, manta ray, sting ray, and turtle conservation in the local area. This was eye opening in terms of understanding how these species survive and what threats they face. After attending the lectures I felt better able to monitor and record these megafauna’s behaviour on encounters.
I successfully completed the fish ID test with 100%, and carried out fish ID exercises while on scuba. This meant we could then add data collected to the marine research centre’s global wildlife databases at the end of each day.
In terms of dive skills, I also successfully completed my PADI deep dive certification (30m).
Highlights
It was a pleasure to spend so much time under the water observing the local marine life, and to contribute to the valuable work of the marine research centre. As a result I have developed a much better understanding of marine research and marine life conservation, and a greater appreciation for the importance of promoting and supporting conservation work (on both a local and global scale).
Conclusion
These two weeks in Tofo have certainly made me feel better equipped to move into the environmental/conservation sector in my career. I am very grateful to have been a part of the project.
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I feel I have learned a lot thus far and with just under two weeks left I am eager to learn more. One of the most things I’m proud of is I co-authored my first scientific paper with Tom Brown on the parcel consumption of bats by the green vine snake. I have learned how to format and write these notes/papers for further use in my own state. Should be published by August. I also was grateful for an opportunity to help Emma from the University of Whales on her masters project. This consisted of surveys with Hemadactylos and the Phylladactalus which is am endemic species of Utila, Honduras. She is looking at the effects of the invasive Asian house gecko on the endemic species. I’ve also been able to catch a decent amount snakes that I also took some data/measurements.
part of something aa if they are contributing as one of them. Arrival was very smooth I didn’t have any hick-ups along the way. The island life here was pretty easy to adjust to as well. The people that call this island home are very welcoming and friendly as there is a lot lf people here who are tourist or students. All in all I would definitely recommend this to a friend.
