04 Aug From Nome, to the Alaska Regional Office by Gisel Adame

Well well well, we made it this far together! Thanks for reading about all of my fun activities and work. Should you ever be interested in this internship, reader, please contact EFTA and let them know you would like to have a chat with me.  No matter the years I would be thrilled to talk about Alaska one more time!

I got really lucky this summer and actually made it to the National Park Service Regional Office located in Anchorage, Alaska. How cool is that! I am working with my supervisor, the Regional Digital Manager for Alaska National Parks. Together we spent most of the week doing hands on work for NPS Fashion Week, upcoming campaigns regarding Climate Change, #YourParkStory, and more. I ended up doing a full tour of all the floors and got to meet some very special people.

I had the special privilege of touring the Alaska NPS archives, which involves the preservation of archeological findings, photographs, testing, and collections data on various artifacts. We met Beth who has a background in botany; she was showing us how rangers or researchers will head out into the field and want to study a plant. To find out more information they pull the plant and its roots, and lay it flat on newspaper. They spread out the petals, leaves, etc. carefully and then smash it flat with a block of wood. Once Beth retrieves it well preserved, she’s able to analyze good information about how it grows, where it grows, if they’re a rarity, and she will trace them to digitize it. When doing the rest of the tour they had so much cool inventory that required specific room temperatures, packaging materials, and even gloves to protect the items they house. I was in awe at the work that they do!

I want to thank so many people for allowing me this opportunity. I even had the greatest day before I left, by viewing the Kenai Fjords in Alaska. The work I have gotten a chance to put out to the public has been such a great feeling. All my creativity coming to light for people to enjoy is something that I feel happy about. I had the pleasure of completing my first interview with Dr. Samarys Seguinot Medina, a Environmental Health Director in Anchorage, Alaska. I managed to find life long friendships in Nome, with people who took care of me while I was there. I also had my supervisor that worked with me on the other side of Alaska, and helped me finish my project by bringing me to Anchorage. Last but not least, EFTA, for proving young Latinos this amazing career, and life opportunity. This is something I will take with me forever. I hope that reflects in my photos!

Please know I may have left Bering Land Bridge, but my work will be online forever! Read and enjoy!