WDCAG!

So Joel & I were at that Geography conference this weekend, (see post Geography Geek!) Basically it was 250 Geographers (Undergrads, Graduate, PHD Students and Faculty), together for field trips, lectures, presentations, and a dinner & dance. How could it not be a great time?!

There were 18 of undergrads (students working towards a bachelor degree) from UVic who went. We rented a 15 passenger van and used the school's new Toyota Hybrid. (The car was super sweet, and cost like $20 in gas the whole way!) We left Thursday afternoon and got back tonight.

On Friday there were 4 field trips to choose from; Joel and I went on a hike about sedimentary layers. I don't really care much about layers of dirt and rock, but the trees were soooo cool! The forests through Seymour Mountain in North Van are incredibly green and covered in ferns and mosses. If I was a pixie, that's where I'd live. Joel took some amazing pictures...

Lynn Valley


And this is the forest I'd frolic in if I were a pixie...

And these are the streams I'd play in...

The whole weekend was incredibly inspiring, and I've been left with more questions than answers. Which I guess is good, because that gives me lots of ideas for topics to research, and things I want to get involved with.

On Saturday there were 20 minute presentations, done by students and faculty, which were great. Some of my favourites included ones on Douglas Fir encroachment on Garry Oak ecosystems, one on measuring and comparing life quality in rural and urban areas (which I want to study more of), land and water development and issues in Canada, and some on forestry in BC.

Then on Saturday night we had a banquet, and UVic (being the great school that we are) dresses up ridiculously ever year. Why? I don't know, apparently we've been doing it since the 80's. This years theme: Climate Change, what else! (Past ones have been Mad Scientists, 80's Prom....) So we show up to this dressy occasion in Hawaiian shirts, board shorts, sunglasses, inflatable water toys, and balloons. The balloons were pretty sweet, we had them labeled as different Green House Gases, like CO2, so it was one balloon of Carbon and two Oxygen Balloons. Oh we are cleaver. I'll post some pictures when I get them off someone else because Joel didn't take any.

So on top of the conference being great for learning about geography, it was great getting to know some other Geog students, who are all in school for more than just the credits, but are there because they want to change things in this world. Good stuff.

Now I need to prepare myself for a crazy next 3 weeks. I've never had to do so many things in a short amount of time.
Jen's School To Do List (to be done by April 4th):

• 1000 word paper on Forestry Practices in BC
• 2, 4 page lab papers on GIS assignments
• 3, 2500 word papers, one on Agro-Forestry in S.E. Asia, one for my Latin America class, and one for my China class
• Presentation on Agriculture practices in China
• 5 Final Exams & 1 lab exam

Hmm, and this is on top of regular classes & looking for a job. So I'm sorry if none of you talk to me for the next three weeks; I'm going into hiding, and I hope to make it out alive.

Ahhh!!

Cheers!