Earthwatch Day 9

Our Last Day

John, Jared, and Nat patiently waited on line for their last breakfast in the dining hall of the research station. It was yummy - blueberry pancakes, sausage, fruit and yogurt. I think I’m spoiled. Will someone make all my meals for me back home?

After breakfast, we went back to Cave Creek Ranch to pack up and check out. Once again, as we waited for our last ride back to the research station, we spotted another cool creature. This small praying mantis was watching me as closely as I was watching him.

Our ride came, and it was sad leaving Cave Creek, our home, for the last time.

Back at the station, we were all assigned jobs in the laboratory. Everyone pitched in to finish the zoo before we left. This giant dude was one of the last specimen bags I cleaned out. It was pretty

easy to find him among the foliage! I completed one more caterpillar dissection for Angela, and found five beads inside that indicated some defensive change by the caterpillar. It was a good way to end my work – feeling like I’ve helped in some real research.

After lunch it was time to leave for Tucson. The van was a bit quieter that usual. Halfway back, Prof Lee decided we needed a break and stopped at the “Thing” rest stop. Even though it was only a dollar to find out what “the thing” was, no one ventured. Some got ice cream, some toured the souvenir shop, and Sawako came out with a gorgeous cowboy hat

for her dad – who, she explained, loves the old western movies. For the last time, we piled back into the van.

For our last dinner together, we went to a Mexican restaurant claimed to be Bill Clinton’s favorite. After some time waiting, all 17 of us sat down - the Earthwatch teacher members, and all the research professors and assistants that were involved. After dinner, we sang happy birthday to Sawako, and she was so touched. She later gave us each a little card with little descriptive names of us written in Japanese. So sweet.

Some of us said goodbye that night, some waited till the next morning. Either way, it was hard to do. I couldn’t imagine not being together anymore. We had worked together for nine days as a cohesive unit, like a family. Suddenly, we wouldn’t be seeing the same faces again.