Let me start
off this blog post by saying that about two years ago, I made a promise to
myself that I would live the next decade for me. Meaning- I wouldn’t worry
about finding the love of my life, really settling down, or starting a family
on my own. Instead, I would focus on doing the things I love, especially the
ones that I might not be able to do later in life. One thing I included in that
promise to myself was a travel goal. I said that by the time I’m thirty, I want
to have been to this many continents, countries, and states (I won’t say
exactly what that goal is, but it’s rather ambitious).
Now, all of
that being said, when I left South Africa in July, I knew I would return. At
first I said that I would return in summer of 2016, but in the time I’ve been
back home I’ve been thinking about that promise I made myself two years ago.
Would going back to South Africa further me towards that goal? The honest
answer was no, it wouldn’t. Part of me really misses South Africa and wants to
return, and I definitely will return to that beautiful country, eventually.
But, after a lot of thinking and battling with myself, I’ve decided that next
summer I want to try something different. So, without further ado, it’s time to
officially announce that I’ll be spending summer of 2016 working and living in
a wildlife sanctuary in Bolivia! I’ve already booked my stay with this
sanctuary for June first through August sixth, and am already practically
counting down the days! This sanctuary is home to a variety of South American
wildlife, including several species of wild cats, monkeys, birds, spectacled
bears and more, most of which have been rescued from illegal animal
trafficking. I imagine my experience with the baboons at CARE this past summer
will help out when it comes to working with the spider monkeys and capuchins at
this sanctuary- there will probably be some similarities. However, I know each
species of primate is unique, so working with these new species will be a great
learning experience! I’m also really excited to work with the wild cats and
spectacled bears that live at this sanctuary, as those are animals that I’ve
always loved but don’t really have any direct experience with. I’ll definitely
miss the sharks and baboons that I worked with this past summer, but I’m super
excited to get more wildlife experience in the gorgeous country of Bolivia! Oh,
and getting more travel experience in general under my belt is going to be an
extra plus.
This post’s
food for thought: “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to
the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer
experience.”- Eleanor Roosevelt
