Owliday Break in the States

Captain´s log, Day 125: An unexpectedly owl-and-snow-filled break in the states followed an invitation  for an interview with Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine. Because of said interview, I was granted the chance to work for the National Aviary for a few weeks before heading off to Costa Rica with my family and mejor compañero, Todd Norton. My friend Genny Luo and I are currenly sitting in Pucallpa, Peru after adventures with the US embassy in Lima (tragically, she had her passport stolen/lost), on our way to Esperanza Verde in the Peruvian Amazon....

The adventures continue.

On Christmas Eve Day, I was accepted to Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, and will be attending in fall 2014. Conservation Medicine. This was the frosting on the multi-tiered, bird-decorated cake of 2013. I can´t possibly express my excitement about this in the time I have to blog. 

Quick recap of the winter in Pittsburgh, PA. GO. 

On my second night back, I joined Bob Mulvihill, Becca Ralston, and other friends from the National Aviary in an effort to net and band migrating Northern Saw-whet Owls in Sewickley Heights. We caught the pretty little girl I´m holding in the first ten minutes I was there! What luck. 

An unexpected irruption of Snowy Owls then led Becca Ralston (an exceptional Aviary voluteer, still in high school--I wish I was that cool in high school) and I to the shores of Lake Erie on a cold Sunday morning in early December...

We found this lovely female soaring just inches above the lakeshore. She landed on some rocks (much to the dismay of the resident gulls) for long enough for us to snap some super blurry photos. The wildlife photographers around us would have scoffed if they'd known of our ameteur photographing ventures, I bet. 

To pass the time at home between my interview at Tufts in Boston and my family´s impending vacation to Costa Rica, I returned to my internship position at the National Aviary!! It was awesome to see our new Andean Condor pair, and to be around for the hatching of two new penguin chicks. This is Dr.Fish, the director of veterinary medicine at the Aviary, examining one of the hatchlings!

THEN IT WAS OFF TO COSTA RICA. I didn´t manage to get many photos on my camera (my mom takes care of that for me when we´re together), but here´s one of me and my brother on the way to Isla Tortuga in the gulf! 

Man and nature: this Jabali didn´t mind the handouts and pet-like treatment from the locals. 

I got to show my family where I studied abroad in Monteverde, Costa Rica! 

They loved it. Who wouldn´t? Gorgeous sunset over the Nicoya Gulf. 

I also got to mix new and old friends in a trip to Corcovado National Park. Todd Norton, my now-best-travel-companion and main squeeze, is pictured here next to Johel Chaves, my mentor from CIEE!

Unfortunately, due to time constraints (have a boat to catch!!), I need to head out.

Conclusion: 2013 was the best year yet, and I´m grateful to all my new friends and for my new adventures. Thanks to everyone who helped me make it to vet school, and stay tuned for more on Peru!