nina

I can remember so many memories outside from a very early age up to today. Some of my most life changing moments occurred in nature and I think that's why I've recently changed my career from crime victims advocacy toward interpretive naturalism and conservation. It brings me immense joy to explore new places, get real familiar with the same spaces, and use all my senses along with my whole body to engage with others. Spending time as a child in Yellowstone, building kinship with bison and friends, experiencing a totally different ecosystem on two separate school trips Assisting in feeding and caring for animals on a farm for a week with family on the peninsula in WA Raising salmon from eggs to smolt annually and have a big celebration during their release back into the wild Climbing and running on huge logs and fallen trees for long stretches at Point Defiance in the 90's circus camp on Vashon island in fields, camping for weeks in the summer Backpacking the Olympic coast and North Cascades Swimming in Lake Michigan, the pacific ocean, the Puget sound, the Atlantic ocean from the eastern US and South Africa Stopping off at a rest stop in Utah to climb some steep stairs and being rewarded with a phenomenal Playing house with friends in the yard and making "food" from soil and dirt and rocks and plant debris Mussel grubbing in the Sangamon River Long walks in the snow during the winter in Anchorage Watching over 60,000 sandhill cranes awake at 5-6am in the morning during migration in Nebraska My 3 years as a forest preschool teacher, experiencing a heightened level of adventure, curiosity and intimacy with the land