This week not only marks my arrival at the midpoint of my internship with Bosque Seco Lalo Loor, but also the annual arrival of humpback whales to the Pacific coast of Ecuador, 
where they migrate to feed in the rich turquoise waters and raise their young. Taking a break from my work studying howler monkeys at the forest reserve to spend a few days on the beach observing the whales has given me an excellent opportunity to reflect on my progress so far. Before my arrival, I had set five learning objectives to guide my experience:
- Gain professional ecological fieldwork experience
- Improve my leadership and communication abilities
- Deepen my knowledge of Spanish and Ecuadorian culture
- Understand new perspectives on ecological conservation
- Learn about the ecology of the tropical dry forest and its threats
In the time I’ve spent between setting these goals and now, I can tell that I have learned and grown an almost unbelievable amount. My survey skills have improved—I can identify monkeys faster, anticipate their movements, and have come to know different troops and their habits. 
Additionally, the conversations I’ve been having in the last few weeks with community members here at the reserve and the surrounding forest have been increasingly meaningful. Ideas, thoughts, and feelings about conservation, people, and place are circulating in incredible ways. My Spanish is always improving, and I’m learning so much more about the place I live in and the people around me. The last few weeks have provided me the most unique and deep learning experience I’ve ever known.
In my work at the reserve, I’m putting this learning into practice as I start to create maps with the data I’m collecting during my surveys. I am learning some coding in Python and GIS skills to plot troop locations in the reserve. Ultimately, I would like to know if the howler monkey troops in the reserve are changing their distribution with the change in season, from wet to dry! 
At left is a draft of a map I have been working on showing troops locations this year. Having never done anything like this before, every step I accomplish is really exciting for me. In addition to getting more comfortable being proud of my work, I am building myself up as a female leader by leading my own surveys and by training in other interns. I am also spending time talking with the women working at the reserve and in the surrounding communities, hearing their stories and opinions, building up our own little community. Their experiences are really valuable to hear, especially since women are typically not strongly involved in land matters in this region, although they are equally impacted.
I am learning the value of deep communication, of connectedness, and of community bonds—things integral to conservation and responsible global citizenship. I am looking forward to sinking more roots into this place and into the network I’m building in my last few weeks, discovering more of what conservation solutions look like here. Ciao from the coast. 