萝莉社

This is a student blog post submitted by Rachel Weaver C’19. Rachel is transfer student majoring in Biology.

After months of anticipation, we are finally in San Salvador, The Bahamas!! This all started in the Johnson Center at 萝莉社. The first part of our Marine Biology course was spent in the classroom where we got to know each other and the marine creatures we are spending so much time with. We learned about different species of fish, coral, and invertebrates and how to recognize them in the field (don鈥檛 touch the bearded fireworms!). We practiced identifying the Caribbean fish at Chicago鈥檚 own Shedd Aquarium to test our abilities. In the Shedd鈥檚 Caribbean Reef Tank we got a glimpse of many of fish we had been studying in depth within the classroom; we were impressed by how much we could recall after such a short time.

If we thought fish identification skills were hard, picking out our snorkeling gear and choosing which colors we wanted was even tougher. With this difficult decision made, we used our new gear well in advance of the trip, practicing our snorkeling skills in a local pool. We developed the myriad skills needed to snorkel successfully and safely, including surface dives and mastering breathing through our mouths instead of our noses (it sounds easier than it is . . . try it for an hour straight).

Those who were feeling adventurous took the opportunity to become certified to scuba dive down to 60 feet deep. Getting certified was exciting and only took two weekends to complete. Our first open water dive took place in the 50 degree waters of Haigh Quarry, also affectionately called the 鈥淐aribbean of the Midwest鈥�; fitting for our future travel plans. Fortunately, we were in the real Caribbean within a week, where the waters are much warmer (80 degrees), the sun is hotter, and the aquatic life is more diverse. We will get to use our scuba skills toward the end of our trip.

The Marine Biology course is one of the many field courses available at North Park. What鈥檚 a better way to learn marine biology than to see the real deal? Here at North Park, not only is Chicago our classroom, but so is the world.

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This is a student blog post submitted by Leslie Nelson C’19. Leslie is a Biology major.

Over these past two days through these experiences and countless others, our team was more excited than ever to see what San Salvador had in store for us.

Upon arrival at our home for the trip, the Gerace Research Centre (GRC) on the island of San Salvador, we once again encountered Bahamian island time contrasted with the military-style scheduling of GRC. At GRC, meals run like clockwork at specified times, no exceptions. If you show up too late for a meal, you won鈥檛 be eating. Further, there are other specific times such as quiet hours as well as the return of GRC vehicles. All this precise timing facilitates smooth function, courtesy, and even safety (many vehicles lack working headlights, wipers, speedometers, doors that latch shut, and other 鈥渦nnecessary鈥� luxuries). Additionally, the GRC guests are mostly scientists from around the western hemisphere with multiple research foci; strict schedules allow for better coordination across campus. Passing through the gate of the GRC puts you in a different temporal space than the laid-back style of the islanders, who never seem to be in a rush or even on a specific schedule.

Further, there seems to be a more welcoming attitude on the Bahamian islands than you would find in many US cities. This is most apparent while traveling the roads. Driving up to GRC following our arrival on San Salvador, we were told by the campus director to wave as cars pass each other on the Queens Highway, the one road around the island. Waving is part of the culture here on the island, as everyone knows each other and therefore there is an almost obligatory friendliness. Perhaps it is because everyone on the island is family, in some sense.

On Nassau, as well as San Salvador, honking on the road is more of a friendly 鈥榟ello鈥� than an annoyed 鈥榳hat do you think you are doing?鈥�

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This is a student blog post submitted by Leslie Nelson C’19. Leslie is a Biology major.

鈥淭he first time is the worst.鈥� The mini heart attacks subsided as we remembered that Bahamians do indeed drive on the opposite side of the road. Meanwhile, we were still trying to comprehend why half of the cars have steering wheels on the left side and the other half have them switched to the right. This is one of the first examples of merging cultures we experienced on arrival in Nassau in The Bahamas.

Another striking cultural difference noticed early on was between the leisurely island style and the bustling tourism industry. Tourism is the largest industry found on the Bahamian Islands. Once again, a merging of these two worlds became apparent in Nassau during dinner time at 鈥淒a Fish Fry,鈥� the local seafood strip. The restaurant owners persistently pursued us to get us to eat at their establishments. One owner even picked up a Chicago Cubs t-shirt worn by one of our group members, using this as a segue to talk us into his establishment. This kind of personalized attention is not as common in North American cities. We snacked on local delicacies like conch fritters and some members of our group even enjoyed a full conch meal!

However, there were also tastes of home. Dunkin Donuts. This time, donuts at the Lynden Pindling International Airport were the method by which cultures were fused. Dr. Rholl was the only brave soul who was willing to give a guava donut a try . . . he loved it. And these donuts appeared once again when multiple people traveling on our small flight from Nassau to San Salvador brought a box full of donuts to the island with them, a commodity which can鈥檛 be found on the out islands.

Beyond experiencing the unique culture of the Bahamas, we also found time to work on our snorkeling and identification skills. Two snorkeling sessions have already been squeezed in between flights and meals and catching up on sleep. To begin we checked out Junkanoo Beach in the heart of Nassau which is right next to the shipping lanes and a public beach. For our second session, we waited until San Salvador and walked across the street from our lodging at the Gerace Research Centre to the boat launch at Graham鈥檚 Harbor.

In just 24 hours, our eyes have been opened to a new world. In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on the tiny Bahamian island of San Salvador. 525 years later, we are excited to see what else 鈥淐olumbus鈥� Isle鈥� has in store for us, both culturally and ecologically.

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