WOW! I feel as if I have left the country and that I am living in an entirely different world. I have never seen so many Subaru cars in my life or beards! All in all, I am having a fantastic time here in Corvallis and I am loving my project. Since my last blog post, I have had the pleasure of attending the 3rd Tribal Environmental Health Summit held here in Corvallis, OR and have had the opportunity to speak with high school students from various summer programs about my experience as a college student and Oregon Sea Grant scholar. My project is quite challenging as I attempt to navigate my time meeting with administrators and program directors affiliated with various organizations and universities across Oregon and the country. Despite some difficulties, everyone that I have met thus far has been very welcoming and helpful with the project. I have not had the opportunity to visit the Confederated States of Siletz Indians reservation yet, but hopefully I will be able to make a visit there soon.
As far as my own Oregon adventures outside of my work environment, I have been able to visit quite a few places since my arrival. To begin, I went river rafting for the first time in my life from Corvallis to Albany which was quite the adventure of me trying not to freak out about drowning. :) I have also managed to make quite a few friends from the REU and other summer programs here on campus. Our groups have had the chance to visit some of the local hiking spots around the city and we go to the Farmer’s Market from time to time. One weekend we went on a coastal road trip to see the Sea Lion caves, visit Newport, and to hike up a random trail alongside the highway with spectacular views. We spent the Fourth of July watching fireworks from the riverfront downtown and have gone to the movies a couple of times, as well as, discovering some awesome dinner spots along the way. (Although, I do have to say that one of the only things I miss about AZ is the food. For example, I have had a pulled pork sandwich without any barbecue sauce because the owner does not “believe” in barbecue sauce and I just had a Huevos Rancheros dish made with Spaghetti Sauce!!! That is unacceptable!!!) Sorry, but I LOVE my Southwestern and Mexican food with a passion! Finally, last weekend we hiked the South Sister summit which was one of the most challenging hikes I have EVER completed in my life! At 10,380 I thought I was going to die from exhaustion, but in reality I survived with just sunburns. It was a breathtaking sight that I will never forget and one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen on this planet, simply time stopping. Afterwards, we drove to Bend to be tourists and explored a nearby cave where we had to crawl on our bellies to reach the end of that underground trail! We then ended our trip by stopping at the Dee Wright Observatory in the Willamette National Forest to check out some volcanic rocks and to see some more mountains in the distance.
I am thankful for all of the academic and non-academic activities I have had the pleasure of experiencing over the last few weeks. I am beyond thankful to be an Oregon Sea Grant scholar this summer and to have the opportunity to share my aid to the OSG-OSU project. Now I must hurry to pack my bags once again as I head to Crater Lake for the weekend! Until the next blog everyone and thank you for reading!!! :)
Great balance of work and play – any insights from the tribal health summit that related to your project?
I really enjoy hearing your perspective about Corvallis and Oregon, and it’s great to hear that you’re taking advantage of your time here to explore lots of places. When I lived in Colorado, I used to joke that Subaru was the state car – but OR could make that claim as well!
I am so glad you are taking every opportunity possible to explore. Your curiosity, both academic and personal, seem to be serving you well during your time in Oregon. Hopefully, you will get out to the Siletz tribe soon!
Hello Sarah,
It has been a great balance of working hard and then having the chance to explore all that Oregon has to offer! There was quite a bit of information from the Tribal Summit that pertained to incorporating American Indian and Alaska Native students with the project objectives, in terms of, providing them with research experience. There were also several individuals who shared a brief overview of the history and cultures of tribes in Oregon that was interesting to learn about. The conference was fantastic because it opened up communication lines for non-tribal researchers to hear and learn about environmental issues on tribal lands that affect AI/AN community members. I’m glad I had the chance to attend the summit this year! :)
Hello Anne,
Having never been to Oregon before, it has been quite an eye opener and experience! For the past month, I have been camping every weekend so I do not know how I will react to a non-camping life when I go home! Yes, I definitely have seen more Subaru cars here in OR than in CO, which, is completely fascinating. I’m going to miss this place and OSG/OSU/Corvallis/OR will always have a special place in my heart! :)
Hello pleasanm,
We only live once, so I always try to make the best of life and my circumstances! I am enjoying my stay here in Oregon and I cannot believe that the program is already half-way over! The Siletz tribe is having their annual powwow on August 11th, so I am hoping that I will have the opportunity to attend the event. It would be quite nice to meet some of the tribal members and to see a powwow again as it has been years since I have attended one. I’m looking forward to my last four weeks in this beautiful city!!! :)