Osara.org

Hell yeah! Four nests found already! I truly enjoy living at the end of the world. The days begin with starting a fire, and then making something hot to drink. Then, the always exciting field work with Amy, Will, and Carolina follows. We search the forests, beaver ponds, and crevices for birds nests, and I must say that I have gotten pretty good or lucky at finding nests.

I have fallen in love with this place, and every day find something new that amazes me. Maybe we have to get away from what we know to realize what is around us. Although nothing beats waking up and looking at Argentina out your front window across the Beagle Channel. I am forced to speak Spanish, which I have never spoken before, and hope to get a grasp on the language before I leave. Overall I am having an awesome time, and the learning experience is unparralled to anything I have had before. Wish everyone that is close to me could be here too and can’t wait to see y’all.

Love Brett

Chile has been everything that I could have imagined so far…there is so much beauty on such a small island that it is overwhelming to the senses. My research is going well…and I am learning a lot. I can only hope to continue to have such an experience for the rest of my stay. Every morning when I wake up, the view out my window is like a post card…it is as if I am living in a fascinating world of dragons, knights in armor, and magic, and wizards and goblins, forests and fairies who sleep in the moss…I am humbled by the magnificence of it all…hope all is well where ever you may be…

Love, lil’ Amy

The beginning of our experience in southern Patagonia and the sub-Antarctic region of Chile has been enchanting. It is fascinating to see the cultural distinctiveness of a continent with inhabitants who are not much different than our own, at least from a standpoint of descent. Latin America (or what I have seen) is similar to how I had
imagined it - vibrant and unique.

The landscapes have augmented our endeavor in a variety of ways, ranging from beautiful snow capped mountains, to pristine virgin forests, to vast archipelagos and seemingly endless channels. We have witnessed our first full moon on this continent, which is brighter than any I have previously seen - intensely bright, as to blind the eyes, or something like that.

The purpose of our venture, ecological research, has been progressing agreeably. We have begun to explore much of the immediate environment, as well as initiated our field research, including Brett’s ornithological extravaganza and Amy’s macroinvertebrate cabaret. My data analysis stuff is developing nicely as well, like a fine lentil stew awaiting mastication.

Cheers, Willis