Suddenly, nerdy is hot again.
I’m so excited about this eyeglass company. Their glasses are super-affordable, they ship for free, they let you try on glasses at home for fit for free, and for every pair you buy they donate a pair to a person in need. Plus they’re totally zexy. I’ve been searching for frames like this for ages and have a hard time tracking them down. What’s not to love?
When I was in college, I toyed with the idea of studying archaeology. I didn’t really have any practical experience with the field so I wanted to try it out before I devoted several years of study to it. I found an excellent nonprofit called Earthwatch. In return for a donation, you’re able to go on a specific scientific expedition of your choosing. The money goes to funding research worldwide, and you get an excellent, interesting trip while also contributing to the greater scientific knowledge. There’s all sorts of interesting things you can do, from studying the migratory pattern of dolphins in the Mediterranean to social surveys in Eastern Europe. How many chances do you ever get to hang out with say, elephants?
I participated in a trip that sadly no longer is funded through Earthwatch. We were studying the migratory patterns of humans in Europe. The most common belief now is that humans migrated from Africa up through the Middle East and Turkey before settling in mainland Europe, but the theory was that it was possible for them to cross over the Straits of Gibraltar. Not too many human bits have been found, but there’s been evidence of African species in Spain and vice versa. A few years ago, they excavated an entire rhino jaw that was intact, tooth enamel and all. It was 1.2 million years old! And I had the good fortune of being the one to attack it with a dental pick!
These trips are interesting because you get to do something useful with your vacation time, and have a purpose for being there. Depending on the project, you do get some time off while you are there to see the sights and get a feel for the area. I like it because it’s also an extreme cultural immersion. On my Spain trip, all of the scientists were Spanish and liked to do a little cultural introduction. We ate fantastic Spanish food, did something called the Quemada (which involves flaming liquor poured into a bowl), and had a flamenco night. I really got a feel for what the culture was like there, minus all of the touristy stuff.
All in all, it’s a great time. I’d highly reccomend it if you’re looking for a change of pace for a vacation, or you want to do good with your time off. I’d be happy to answer any questions anyone has, as well as I can. If you’d like to learn more about Earthwatch and what they do, plus the trips that they offer, please click here. And if you want to see a picture of me that ended up on the Earthwatch brochure last year (gulp, didn’t even know about it) click here.
