2 Weeks

Only 2 weeks left?! Where has the time gone? It doesn't feel like my time here is up yet, but it's definitely coming to an end. I am looking forward to MSQ but I'll miss the belugas and seals.

Today we celebrated the seals' 4th birthday! We froze ice toys, got snow, jello and ice cubs and put it in a little kid sandbox and let them have at it. I think it was a little overwhelming for them, but they seemed to enjoy it a little, with the push of the trainers. My days seem to be flying by... I love being at work, everyone is awesome and although it's a lot of cleaning and hard work, it is definitely worth it. Like I've been saying, we get to have our own whales more and more. Recently, they've just handed us buckets and followed them out to the platforms to help do a session, or gate, or just feed. Today I got to have Beethoven and Qinu during a BFIP. The trainer pointed the whale at me and told me I could only do point follows and hand targets as a way to keep the whale engaged while she timed me for 1 minute to see how well I could do. So 1 minute came and went and after a few minutes I had to send a whale to the ledge. But she said that I had good energy with the whale and did some different things that you don't think about normally doing that changes things up for the whales. We've also been given more behaviors to do with the whales when we get them for sessions, which is awesome! Here's a few pictures from today:

 

28 Days Left!

I've realized that I am horrible at keeping up with a blog, but I've been busy lately. This past week and the one before it have been the best weeks I've had during my internship. The trainers have been letting us (more and more) have a whale to ourselves during a session. We're basically given a bucket (more than likely Beethoven's bucket) and we're able to feed and do our given behaviors with him during the session. We have trainers watching us, but they're not on the same platform and most of the time also have a whale of their own. I feel like I'm becoming more and more of a trainer, which is obviously more of a indication that I'm going towards the correct goal. It's such an exciting and very hard to describe feeling. I get nervous right before we step down to feed, but I feel so comfortable as soon as the whale stations up right in front of me. I can honestly say this has been the best experience in my life.

 

I've also accepted another internship after GAQ. I will be interning at Miami Seaquarium for the summer and it's a PAID internship! I couldn't be more happy! I start there on May 1 and am looking forward to it. Which leaves about 28 days left in Atlanta, 18 of those being at GAQ. I am very sad I'll be leaving the whales, trainers, interns, and this place that I have come to love but I realize that the more experience you get at different places makes you a more rounded person. I have learned a lot from the trainers whether it be training or just life along with so much that I have learned from my co-interns.

 

This past weekend, my mom and I did the Beluga & Friends Interactive Program and my mom LOVED it. Here are some pictures: