My Tropical Odyssey

Well, this is it, ladies and gentlemen.

For the next four weeks (from May 23-June 20) I'll be in Costa Rica doing field work with the professor I had as a supervisor for my ZOO 498 research project, Dan Brooks. We'll be doing parasite work involving genetic barcoding, a new (and very controversial) approach to systematics and taxonomy. There are species of parasites (nematode worms, I assume) there who live in their larval stage within snails, and from there spread to other host organisms (mainly birds, but also lizards, frogs, etc.) in their adult phase. The larvae are almost impossible to classify through traditional methods (i.e. morphology), so the idea is that they could be classified using genetic barcoding techniques. Of course someone has to get the larvae, and that's where I come in.

We'll be going to a biological reserve (not unlike Jokers' Hill) near Liberia, one of the major cities (the capital?). Dan says it's pretty tame; we'll have running water, electricity, a phone line, and laundry will be done in Liberia, where there are laundromats. Sadly, there will be no Internet, with the exception of momentary stops at Internet Cafe's in Liberia while we'll be in town for laundry. Suffice to say, I won't be around (heh, not that anyone would notice, of course!), and I fully expect my email inbox crammed full of spam ^H^H^H^H friend's telling me how much they miss me when I get back.

I'm currently collecting addresses for postcards from people (you know who you are), so expect to get some in the future! I'll be sure to try to get some souvenirs for people too, if time permits.

Well...see you in four weeks!