This summer, I will be at Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. It is known as a “mini yellowstone” with volcanoes, geysers, thermal pools, and mud pots. This national park has not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 volcanoes! Luckily they’re not expected to erupt any time soon. Sadly, I have yet to arrive to Lassen, but I will be there soon, and I can’t wait to learn all about the geography, the fauna, flora, and history of the beautiful park. I am excited to meet all the staff and be able to build up my interpreter skills. I have had experience as an interpreter at my home city San Bernardino. I’ve been lucky that a number of national forests are in my area and I’ve worked doing guided hikes and interpretive programs in my community. One of the things that attracted me to this position was how Lassen’s fauna and flora is very similar to that of the forests here in San Bernardino. They both have tall Jeffrey and Ponderosa pines as well as similar wildlife including Stellar Jays and Mountain Chickadees. Lassen Volcanic is also known for it’s dark skies. It actually has a famous night sky festival, and I am excited to be able to be a part of it. Especially coming from a large city with strong light pollution, being able to go to a park with some of the darkest skies in the United States will be an experience of a lifetime. I look forward to doing interpretive programs, meeting visitors, and helping them connect with nature. My favorite part of working in outdoor spaces is showing visitors the beauty of nature and teaching them about native fauna and flora of the area. I will also be providing bilingual services, which is something I am passionate about when it comes to diversifying the outdoors and making visitors feel safe in outdoor spaces. Overall, I am looking forward to working at Lassen Volcanic and can’t wait to experience the beautiful park.