Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Wow. What a week..

(baby elephant Luna on Safari)

Monday:  Jay and I started the morning off with bacteria sampling. We collect samples from certain pools in sterile bottles and take them to Reedy Creek to get our bacteria counts. We also plate some ourselves and then compare the results.  I enjoy sampling in the early morning. It is dark and you feel like you are really in Africa! We get to drive on the Safari ride path while they are putting all the animals out. I am trying to make friends with the Keepers so I can pet/feed certain animals. Right now..I am pretty close with Cool Keeper Paul who works in the Ituri Forest. He promised me before my internship is over I can meet a hippo. Woo Whoo. Although, my dream would be to meet a giraffe..sorry hippo!

Tuesday: I GOT TO DOSE the GIBBON & SIAMANG moats! I was super excited because they are so cute and we get to be really close to them, BUT as soon as I stepped into the water I noticed my waders didn’t feel right. Sure enough..water began FLOWING in and I was soaked. Jay and Sarah started laughing and all I could do was join. OF COURSE, I grabbed the ONE pair that had holes. But OH WELL, because I made a new friend. The Gibbon & Siamang Keeper, Jill, gave me her extra pair of socks from her car. I owe her big time. I am thinking about buying her a new pair with monkey or ape like creatures on them as a thank you. YAY!

Wednesday: We had our bi-weekly Chemistry Team Meeting, which I decided to bake brownies for. My roommates were taking pictures/videos of me because they have never seen me use the oven since I have been down here. I am pretty much a boiler. No worries..my brownies must have turned out great because I didn’t have any left over to take home. Although, Jay and Nick both said they were the worst brownies they have ever had. NO ONE PUSHES MY BUTTONS!! :)

Wednesday was also the day I became “fall protected”. Disney requires us to take these random safety courses, and one was a Fall Protection course…taught by the one and only, Chad Parman. Chad is an Operator and is HILARIUS! We learned how to put on a harness and the proper way to use it. I will probably never need to use one, but NOW I CAN!

I made sure to keep 3 brownies aside to give to George, who in return says I can meet SCUBA MICKEY! I AM SO EXCITED! George is Scuba Mickey’s escort.  Pretty big deal :)
Scuba Mickey swims in the main tank and also comes out to meet and interact with guests. The dates he comes out is completely random and is only once a month. Once the date is set, he promised I will be the first to know! AHHHH.

Today: THURSDAY! SAINT PATRICK’S DAY! MATTHEW SNODGRASS'S BIRTHDAY! AND THE WILDCATS WON…although I almost had a heart attack. C-A-T-S! CATS CATS CATS!

I did the morning rounds by myself, which I sometimes enjoy. It allows me to work at my own pace and schedule. Jay still popped in at a few sites to make sure I was doing ok…but OF COURSE I was doing ok! I LOVE MY JOB!

Tomorrow is going to be AMAZING. I get to go on the Safari Ride Check at 6am. Something not everyone gets to do. I am pretty.. ok no.. I am VERY excited.
And on top of it..Tomorrow is Friday.

Who doesn’t love Friday?