July 18-19, 2015 On Saturday, Tito Mon kindly allowed us to accompany him to GK Enchanted farms in Bulacan where four other IWU girls were spending their internship. On the way, we stopped in Manila to pick up Carly and Kelsey, so it was true IWU reunion. While at GK farms, we were given a … More Mini Weekend Adventures
Mt. Makiling, 1090m, Highest Feature of the Laguna Volcanic Field Everyone has their own reason for mountain climbing. However, true love for climbing is set aside for the romantics. Climbing isn’t about the view at the top, but about the emotional and physical perseverance it takes to get there. It’s about the ability to conquer … More Mt. Makiling
As weeks start to blend together, I figured this blog would be better spent discussing aspects of my time here in the Philippines instead of weekly summaries. This blog is dedicated to my experience with the people in the C4 Laboratory, especially since ‘Sir Julius’ (my immediate supervisor) is leaving to attend a PhD program … More Protein Team
July 9-12, 2015 How many times are we told as a kid to be wary of strangers? We grow up refusing to ask others for help and are suspicious of everyone we pass on the street. When you are traveling, you don’t have that “luxury”. You are suddenly thrown into a country of strangers and … More Stranger “Danger”
July 4, 2015 Have you ever heard the phrase- “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”? It’s a tourism slogan advertising the breathtaking beaches found all throughout the Philippines. As an archipelago, the Philippines is a grouping of small islands, each surrounded by calm, salt water beaches with snorkeling/diving sites. In celebration of America’s independence day, … More Happy Birthday, America!
July 3, 2015 When you are thousands of miles away from your own home, there’s nothing more comforting than being invited into someone else’s. Some old friends of Dr. Amoloza’s have a home in Los Banos, and this past Friday, we were invited into their home for a classic Filipino dinner party. What makes this … More A Classic Filipino Experience
June 22-28, 2015 (Under construction: More pictures to come) On Monday, we began our respective internships in different laboratories throughout the institute. For my internship, I’ll be working with the C4 Rice Project. The aim of the C4 rice project is to create transgenic rice that undergo the C4 photosynthesis pathway. The C4 pathway is … More “…For Each Day to Have a New and Different Sun”
June 16-21, 2015 Here at IRRI, that statement reigns true- Rice truly is life! During our first week here, the other girls from IWU and I were put through “rice training”. This training explained the process of rice farming from preparing the land to milling the grains to post-distribution. I found this training session incredibly … More Rice is Life
June 12-15, 2015 I am in the Philippines! It’s a strange thought to be lying in bed and realizing that you are half way across the world from the people you love. I was lucky enough to be placed on this trip with three amazing girls who I have become close to over this past … More First Days Abroad
As the departure date moves closer, I decided it would be best to share my thoughts about my upcoming internship. The chance to intern at a renowned institution such as IRRI is an amazing opportunity. I’m excited to learn from Dr. Quick (my supervisor) and the other researchers there. I’ve been reviewing old textbooks and … More Paalam Amerika
Will Travel For Rice 