don’t get too comfy with me gone

All of us "happy campers!"

So this is the last blog entry from me. Wow, how fast this month has gone by. I feel like just yesterday I walked through the door of the hostel in Conway. This month helped me meet new people. These people are Sara, Lindsay, Joanne, Wink, Jeff, Ray, Cara, Christa, Megan, Mark, James, Tom, and more. These people are amazing. They’re kind-hearted, sweet, and love what they do. They are people I want to stay in contact with. I’ll miss each and every person I’ve met.

They all have a special place in my heart. So does New Hampshire. This place brought me a lot of new memories, like today with walking along a swamp picking purple loosestrife. And yesterday with camping. I’ll definitely come back here to visit everyone; I can’t wait to see them again! I’ll really miss it here. The girls too, of course—Jen, Marquia, and Ariana are great people to work with. They’ve made this trip a blast. They’re hilarious people and sweet, too. Each of us worked together and were in sync.

Sara has also been amazing. She worked well with us and didn’t snap at us so I was happy, lol. This is my goodbye to you, New Hampshire. But don’t get too comfy with me gone. I”ll come back soon, and this time I’ll bring my family J

~Darlene Valenzuela

Didn't see it coming

I promise I'm a smiley person! Especially when it comes to botany.

In my past week I spent most of my time in the Lubberland Creek Preserve, which basically means in the mix of plants( multi flora rose), insects (mosquitos) and the rain! On the other hand, I loved it. In my time spent I've become in tuned with my interest in botany. Joanne and Lindsay have become my personal Botany 101 teachers and now I know how to differentiate many of the trees and invasive species in Lubberland Creek. My colleagues and I have spent time building character and muscle by searching for invasives, monitoring trail work in the rain and building water bars to keep water off trails.

What I wasn’t prepared for was a tick bite, which I really didn’t see coming. Literally didn’t see coming because it was on my back. I was pretty freaked out at first til I went the hospital and called Wink, who made everything better. In the end I was stoked that I was bitten because now I’m official. In what? I don’t really know but its official.

~Ariana Mitchell

it'll last for generations

All of us in our trash bag fashion!

Omg! Times are passing so fast, it’s already the end of the 3^rd week. Everything just happened like in a blink of an eye. Starting from being strangers with the girls and now being friends. I have learned many things from working in nature and with the group. I will never forget the experiences of working outdoors in nature and the fun activities that we did together. For example, last week we went to fix the steps that we built with Lindsay after the heavy rain while wearing garbage bags to prevent us from getting wet. We felt proud and successful when we were done.

Also we did many fun activities on the weekend. We went to the beach in Maine, and it was an 84 degree sunny day. Aren’t we lucky to have such a good weather day. After the beach we went to fill our tummy with good hamburgers and of course ice cream for dessert. Haha. Oh oh oh! I am not done yet J We ended the day with watching dancing performances and the play “Annie” in a park in Portsmouth. It was such a wonderful experience. I recommend you guys go watch it! Okay. I am done now J Haha. Thanks for reading. Goodbye, have a nice day!

 

~Mei Juan (Jen) Gao

Hanging out at Northland Forest Products with CEO, Jamey French.

Did you know how much money you spend by buying cheap furniture not made from real wood, but with scrap wood? You pay a decent amount for a piece of furniture that will only last a couple of years, just to save you some money. That right there is the problem, when that same furniture breaks and is damaged, you have to buy it again, to only last you that same amount of time. To stop this cycle, buy products that are made from real wood - these will last you generations because of their high quality.  I've learned all of this from my trip to Northland Forest Products. This is a company that sells wood to furniture stores who then sell to us. Yes, because the pieces are made from wood and that makes it pricier, but we should still buy it regardless of the price; it’ll last for generations.

~Darlene Valenzuela

Best summer ever!!!!

Just about to rub the nose of the Wildcat!

Hey there!!! The week has just begun and the fun I'm having is unbelievable. I think today may have been one of my favorites. Today we visited the University of New Hampshire.  It’s a great school and one that I probably would have never given a chance if not being an intern for LEAF. No one except for the interns in the New Hampshire chapter can say that they’ve had three tours for one school in the same day. Lol - it was wonderful. The first was a general tour. The next was a tour given by a professor at the university, Tom Lee.  That was my personal favorite because he brought me to the department of physics building. It was very hard to keep from smiling like a maniac when I entered the astronomy and physics library. After that we had this AMAZING lunch at the university. Lastly Megan who is an alumni from UNH gave our final tour. She gave us the cool 411 that no one else would know.  It was just an amazing tour and a great school. 

To top the day all off, we went to a park with swings!!! I feel like I haven’t smiled so much in one day in a long time. I think I can say for everyone that being an intern for LEAF has given us sooo many different experiences and opportunities that we wouldn’t have gotten if not for this program. I want to let everyone know that this is one of the most amazing summers of my life so far. Many people, throughout the duration of this internship aren’t even aware of the fact that they’ve taught me so much and have influenced many of the decisions I will be making very soon.  BEST SUMMER EVER!!!!!!!!

~Marquia Williams

livin' the dream

Visiting UVM with the Vermont LEAF Crew!

 

My time spent in New Hampshire has been a life changing experience. From the places we have visited to the people we have met it’s different, but in a good way. The first hours in a hostel meeting Wink and Lindsay to staying in a Bed and Breakfast, which is owned by Mary Margaret with the long hair, three cats, and funny husband, has placed my life into perspective. In the last two weeks I have met more than 26 people who have taught me something new or have giving me a chance to make an unforgettable experience. If I could, I would go back and thank everyone for the little things. For teaching me how to get on a horse and for helping me decide on the school that I will attend for college (UVM). But since I can’t thank them in person all I will thank them in spirit. THANK YOU ALL.

 

~Ariana Mitchell

A tough job building erosion steps is complete.

Hey there!!!!! Soo today we built steps!!! I know how strange that must sound but we did it. Lol. We used the land and shovels. It was a shocker how successful we were. We were pros by the end. The weekend in Burlington was sooooo beyond awesometastic!!!!! We went horseback riding (my horse’s name was Luko). Great first experience. UVM is a great University. I feel like the more schools I visit, I get more and more excited about college each time. We also went bike riding and that was very fun!!! This weekend was great and so was today. I cannot believe the time is going by so quickly. Anywho, talk to you all soon. J

~Marquia Williams

Livin' the dream!

Yay!!! Can you guys believe if I tell you “My dream came true?” Ha-Ha, I know this might sound silly but since I was little I know one of my life long dream is to become a princess and ride a WHITE horse J. Well…we all know that the princess part will never happen (ha-ha) but at least I got the chance to ride a white horse. I am so happy that I joined this program, and because of this I get the chance to participate in all these fun activities and also meet all these awesome people. In work I learned a lot about the environment, for example like all different kinds of invasive species and how they harm the environment and what we can all do to make a difference. Thanks for reading J.   

~Mei Juan (Jen) Gao

Riding along the shores of Lake Champlain.

Hey guys, so yesterday we all went bike riding and on our way down a hill I forgot to use my breaks to slow down, so I lost control. In losing control I fell off my bike and slammed to the ground. As I fell down I skidded a little and scraped the back of my thigh and a bit on my hand. Surprisingly it didn’t hurt, just stung a little. It looked much worse then what it actually felt.  Haha! Weirdly enough I found it so cool, because it’s battle scars and battle scars are cool. Today it felt better and it doesn’t bother me to walk. Oh! Last night as we bought groceries including non-stick pads to cover the wound. When I went to put it on we didn’t have tape so we had to use band-aids. As the day went by and I started to sweat the pad started to fall off. It sucked. Lindsay told me that by now the wound is fine so now I'm all good and happy. That’s what I got to say to you all today. See ya!!!

~Darlene Valenzuela

being with the girls

Combating the bugs at Vickie Bunnell.

The past days working in New Hampshire was fun. I had met many amazing people, did many fun activities that I had never experience before and had learned many interesting things. Some amazing people I met on this trip are Lindsay and Wink, both of them had taught me a lot about nature and always made this working experience fun. My mentor Sara Rust has got us doing many fun activities, such as Zip lining, drive-in movies and ICE CREAM! And I can’t wait to go bike riding and horseback riding in the following weekends. Other than being homesick and missing a lot of people back at home, everything is fun and I really enjoyed the times being with the girls.

~Mei Juan (Jen) Gao

taking the plunge

Taking the plunge...

I learned! At the Vickie Bunnell Preserve in New Hampshire my ability to grasp new plant life was amazing. Botany seems to be my strong suit when it comes to nature, which is cool. I learned about sugar maple and yellow birch and ferns. I loved it. From that experience I decided to study botany as a minor in college. My mentors Sara, Wink and Lindsay are really persuading me more and more into looking in to The University of Vermont, which is right next to New Hampshire. I'm still a little skeptical because of the distance from family but day buy day I get more anxious.

~Ariana Mitchell

a greater open mind

Check this out!

Soooo!!! Hey again. This is quite an experience. One of my goals from this internship was to learn about how others live. And I must say, I am learning. The hostel and cabin that we’ve been at so far is really amazing. It’s a growing experience for myself to become a person with an even greater open mind to new things. I know going back I will be a much more humble person than I am, seeing how other people live and having to become accustomed to it.  Yesterday’s mini barbeque was really fun. I made s’mores over a fire for the very first time. And what made it even more awesome is that we had to run into the trees for sticks for roasting the marshmallows. Great experience so far!!! Until next time…

~Marquia Williams

nibbles and bites

Learning from the amazing Rick Van de Poll.

So far this week I've been to a preserve and picked invasive plants and it was hard work, man. Throughout those two days I've gotten bitten by deer flies and mosquitos so much. All over ankles and legs and even my hand! It’s all red and stuff.

Now today we hiked up Fourth Connecticut Lake Preserve and somewhat cleaned up the path by clipping braches to help hikers navigate the path easier. It was fun because I've never used clippers before and it was a fun experience. The hike up was rigorous because it was steep and I'm not used to hiking at all. All in all it was a good day, even with my bitten ankles and hand. Lol!

~Darlene Valenzuela

a week in pictures

Wonder why it's been so quiet around here?

The LEAF crew have been tucked away in the wilds of New Hampshire, spending time in the very northern woods of the Granite State.  Needless to say, there's no cell service or internet connectivity.  Just a lot of moose (and mosquitoes!).

Seasonal Steward Lindsay Watkins must have found a hot spot once she re-entered civilization because she sent along some photos from the week.  Check 'em out! 



Orientation Day at the Paine Cabin on Whitton Pond.



Darlene gets a handle on paddling.



Enjoying the view - Jen, Ariana, Darlene and Marquia.



Ariana and Sara sure are glad the rain stopped!

Apparently it was a long day...

 

 

Ariana takes a much-deserved swim.

 

 

 

 

Buckets and buckets of invasive wall lettuce come down at Vickie Bunnell Preserve.

 

 

Standing on the border between two countries!

 

 

 

Fourth Connecticut Lake cupcakes for Lindsay's birthday!

 

 

 

Sara, Ariana, Lindsay and Jen.

 

 

 

The whole crew!!



Compost WHAT?

(L-R) Jen, Sara, Darlene, Ariana and Marquia atop Green Hills. 

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The moment I went with my family to school the 8th of July to depart the loud city of New York, I knew I was going to experience something new. I personally didn’t know exactly what, but I knew it was going to be big.  As we pulled up to the hostel I felt the sense of reality.  It finally came to be that I was going to be away from everyone I love. But I had to be here. I came slowly accept the fact that I’m here.  So far I really enjoy everything and everyone here. I may have to wake up early and cook my own food but I’m having fun. The places here are beautiful and so unlike New York. It’s amazing. I’m thinking about moving here when I’m older.  

~Darlene Valenzuela

The Paine Cabin at Whitton Pond. 

The first day of work in the Paine’s Cabin was a really fun and amazing experience. Starting the workday with meeting some awesome Leaf Program mentors and being treated with yummy foods. Some of the many interesting and fun things that happened was learning how to use the composting toilet, starting to know each other, swimming and kayaking in the pound and last learning about the Paine’s cabin. I found learning about the Paine’s cabin was the most interesting. The Cabin’s history started when in the 1930’s the Kennett family built it and then the a couple named Charles and Sylvelin Paine bought it. The Paine’s family then donated the cabin and 90 acres of the land to The Nature Conservancy. This had really changed the way on how I view the people and the world because we should all be like the Paine family and do what we can do the help and preserve the world.

~Mei Juan (Jen) Gao

For my first time in New Hampshire the experience so far was really grand. I was welcomed by everyone in every way. The people here are really friendly compared to New York City. In the city many people don’t seem to give that New Hampshire smile or  give as much care. For example, Wink really cares about our stay here and really tries for over reaching our expectations on what we thought. He also eased me into entering a kayak. I was extremely scared but he pulled aside the spider webs and guided me how to move. He’s like a cool grandpa that’s teaching you something new.

 ~Ariana Mitchell

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Working hard in the rain... 

Soooo Yea. Its really nice here. I really like the fact that the girls are really down to earth. It’s hard getting used to everyone cooking differently from me. I’m not used to sharing a room with people that have different living habits, but it’s a great learning experience. Speaking of something new, I have a completely different definition of the word COMPOSTING….It is something else. I used a composting toilet for the very first time. You use the toilet and then shimmer little bits of wood on your waste. And the coolest part is that its so high so you are on your own throne. Lol I like it. Ooohhhh and I kayaked for the very first time!!!! Any way I look forward to having tons of fun and learning so much more. I do miss my family and friends :( But I'll survive. I LIKE IT!!!!!

~Marquia Williams



here they come!

(from left to right) Mentor Sara, Darlene, Ariana, Marquia and Mei Juan.

 

They're coming!

Has it really been a year?  Believe it or not it has, and the 2013 LEAF (Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future) season is nearly upon us.  We've got big plans for our new crew.

This will be Darlene, Ariana, Marquia and Mei Juan's first visit to the Granite State.   While here they'll experience all that we have to offer: swimming, camping, clear and starry nights, trail building, pulling LOTS of invasive plants and of course our hospitality!

We're also thrilled to welcome back Sara Rust as mentor.  This is her third year traveling to New Hampshire with interns and we couldn't be happier.  Sara is a wise motivator, true leader and super duper friend.  There is something especially rewarding for us here at The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire to work with the same mentor year after year.  It gives us the confidence to try even bigger and bolder ideas with our interns, knowing that we have a strong and dependable mentor supporting us.

The interns will tell their stories here, so be sure to follow along.  No doubt they'll be lots of interesting things to say as they move from the boroughs to the birches!