Animal, Pearl Jam

After a week and a half in Panama City, I finally started interacting with the locals.  And when I say “locals”, I mean the very friendly youth expat community in Panama City.  A few of these folks invited me to a Microbrew Fest held in Mi Pueblito, a small, yeiyei neighborhood in the city; among the beers represented would be Rogue.  I was sold.  How can a girl like me say no to good beer, good company, and though I didn’t know it yet, a chance to completely nerd out?

I’m probably the first to tell you – I’m a huge nerd.  Not like Star Trek, or even Star Wars (although I do love Star Wars, and I’ll take Firefly any day of the week), but when it comes to science, especially environmental science, you better not get me started.  From management policies to tree identification, to endangered species, and even non-endangered species, I love it all.  As I said, it’s best not to let me talk your ear off about forest fires (and why they’re good) or creative energy processes (and why they’re awesome).  In fact, it’s best just not to let me get on the subject at all.

Which is why it’s awesome when you meet a bunch of other science nerds.  At the beer fest, my group of Americans migrated toward another group of Americans; as American groups abroad are wont to do.  The people I was with were primarily English teachers in Panama City, with a few entrepreneurs thrown in the mix.  When they talk about teaching, language or business, I’m lost, just as they’re lost when I have conversations about turtles, trees and climate change.  But these other Americans, well, they worked for the Smithsonian Institute – a research based group in Panama focusing on all the environmental issues you can imagine.  We exchanged backgrounds, projects and I mentioned I had worked three years ago in Montana.

“Oh man, I’d love to work in Montana, with the wolves!” Now this was a few beers deep and the comment was probably more eloquent (or less eloquent, depending on exactly how much alcohol was involved), and I’m not sure if it was one of the ornithologists, the bat guy or the marine folks.  And thus began one of the coolest conversations about endangered species management I’ve ever had.

The thing about endangered species is that there’s no one right answer, and it’s all pretty complicated.  And reintroduction strategies are even more intense.  So a spirited debate on endangered species management, for someone like me, is incredible.  Just being able to nerd out with someone who understands the complexities of this issue is huge.

So big deal, I got to nerd out about environmental issues.  Aren’t I an environmental Volunteer?  Yes, but issues in the US are going different directions than those in Panama right now.  They’re focused new energy in the states, at least as far as I can tell from down here, but here, we’re focused on anything and everything.  There’s so much that needs to be done, it’s overwhelming.  And honestly, who doesn’t love the wolves?

Who am I kidding, though.  I work with sea turtles.  I’m living the dream, especially in endangered species management.  I just really like being an environmental nerd.