Thursday, October 3, 2013

10/3/13-In the midst of chaos

--> "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity."
Tyler Schrapf
                  Being the resident poli-sci major on the trip, I have been getting a lot of questions from my fellow expedition members about the recent government lockdown that is currently plaguing our trip. This morning I could not get my mind off the current political situation at hand and on to more important matters such as scheduling events as a leader of the week, or how to handle the days logistics for getting out of Jackson; so around 7 AM I caved and started the day off at chow circle with a quote from Benjamin Franklin – “Those willing to sacrifice a little freedom to gain a little security should deserve neither and will lose both.” I could not tell how well these words sank in, but I feel like a lot of freedoms have been given up recently. Our very own country is not free to roam, the most beautiful and moving places are locked away for the time being, putting our group at an impasse.
                  Alas, there is hope. As leaders of the week we buckled down and made phone calls to various outdoor education centers. I somehow managed to talk the Ogden Nature Center in Ogden, Utah into letting us do a two hour job shadow and a one hour administration question and answer session on one day’s notice. Tomorrow there is a concrete plan, and our education requirements are being met. As each day passes, we must condense an entire semesters worth of planning into one night as leaders of the week in order to insure that our groups educational standards are being met.
                  Utah is proving to have a lot to offer, as we move across the state, I see nothing but unscarred beauty. There is an extensive state park system and plenty of opportunity for private and non-profit administration/outdoor education programs. The most important and critical thing to keep in mind as we move into the upcoming weeks is to remain positive and to to create the best educational experience possible.
                  As a general statement for those who are wondering, today went well. We learned about running a private touring business for Yellowstone by a man simply named Jason. Driving through the Cache National Forest was beautiful beyond imagination, and . . . We had pizza for dinner. Today was a good day.

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