Next Steps

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After having a successful trial of the bio-fluorescence sensor package for the ROV, we made some adjustments to the payload. We improved the balance and the lights and did three 50 meter zig-zag night transects into the patch reefs, and found a lot of fluorescence! The system and collaboration with Guy Trimy/PML has worked out just as planned!

The next step was to work on ways of minimizing interference from the ROV main lights. We covered the main lights with blue filter paper, and added yellow to the main camera, in attempt to see the fluorescence with the main camera, and using that to navigate toward the fluorescent corals.

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In addition to just proving we could find fluorescent corals, we set out to identify which specific species do. We sought out, marked, and characterized 8 sites during the day light outs, and then sent out our further modified ROV at night. Unfortunately we were met with a heavy tide, and the darkened main lights proved to make navigation to the sites nearly impossible. We removed the yellow filter from the main camera, but it was not good enough to properly navigate.

Unfortunately time is running short, and we have a lot of work to do. The equipment arrived late, broken, and the weather has taken a turn for the worse. There has been a storm moving in, which has made progress difficult. Tomorrow the team will split up, half will go to the Aitutaki lagoon via boat and do surveys of the reef, and the other will work on mapping until the evening. At dusk, the team will reunite and remark the coral sites with glow sticks, and go for another night dive!

What a Week!

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It is with an extremely heavy heart that I write this post. Why? This means that the trip is over and my time in London has come to an end. This has truly been the best week of my life and it is all thanks to those I shared it with.

What started out as a hopeful application into the class has turned into a week that has changed my life and allowed me to see things from a new perspective. I’m beyond grateful for this learning and living experience.

Who would have thought 15 strangers from CI and one of the Communication Program’s most loved professor could make this trip so memorable? I wish I could say that sadness is all I feel, but that would be a lie.

My heart is full- full of love from new friends, full of laughter and memories, and full of joy from this experience. I’ve made friends that are lifelong and memories that are forever cherished. Each and everyone of you has played a significant role in making this trip what it was. From Amanda being the best roommate and partner in crime, to Taylor being my King, to Bri’s peppermint oil, to Adriana’s selfie stick, and to Dr. J’s beautiful photography skills, this trip was made possible by the people in it.

I fell in love with London the second I stepped out. My appreciation for it grew exponentially when our local friends, Simon, Matt, and Ali showed us the city. London speaks to me in a way that no other city has….so much so to where I am seriously considering putting off my dream of being a soldier for a few years to get a Graduate Degree there (Dr. J, we will discuss this later)

From the bottom of my heart, I love you all and am so lucky to have had the opportunity to spend this past week with you in London. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I will never forget how amazing every second of it was. I look forward to seeing all of you soon!

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who helped make this possible. No words of gratitude could ever be enough to explain how much this trip means to me. Just know that you played a part in changing my life.

Cheers,

Jessy

Home, not so sweet, home. 

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Writing this emerging from a good 10 hours of sleep in my own bed I can’t help but feel sad. This trip was honestly life changing and I’m meaning this with full honesty. Sitting in Del Norte Hall for class lectures with Dr. Jenkins pouring tons of history and information in our heads before we left, I never felt that I would’ve had such a connection with this place when I got over here. This trip was completely amazing from arriving, everything in between and departing. Ever detail and fine memory I have with my classmates, friends and new London pals will never be short from the best moments of my life. From the buildings we walked past everyday and night, to the monuments we visited and fell in love with, to the food and drinks, everything was never short of fantastic. I can say that I’m coming back and soon possibly to live there for permanent. I was so immersed in the culture of the UK and London that I felt I became a resident. Navigating, Exploring and Adoring 

 are three words I can think of to best describe our trip. A week even though very short for me personally, especially since I fell in love with the place. Will now represent a small capsule of the memories I will forever hold in my heart. I would like to sincerely thank everyone that got us here from President Rush, everyone in the Intercultural Education Department and a huge thanks to Dr. J! Without you Dr. Jenkins we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish so much there and I am humbled and blessed by the experiences I’ve been able to capture over there. 

The second best day in the U.K.! 

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Our new London pals, Stonehenge, Oxford University and Windsor Castle! 
  

  
We went out for a night on the town to discover some night life and possibly get some insight on the city. Luckily for us we met some life long friends in a pub not far from our hotel. Simon and Matt! They were so welcoming and generous, gave us the whole London experience. Some of us are planning on coming back later in the years to visit them and reconnect as we did this week! I’m honestly considering moving here after my bachelors at CI and possibly achieving a masters in London. Stonehenge was massive in person but not as large as I expected from photos or by Taylor’s presentation in class. I remember specifically how clean and cold the air felt when I was walking around the circle viewing it from behind the ropes. Questions of how it got here and how it’s even still standing filled my head. To say the least I’m so glad I got to see it in person and view it’s extravagance. Not to mention all the other brilliant sites we’ve seen in such a short amount of time. Even though some days were smoother than others in the sense of sleep deprive meant. But like Dr. J said, “DONT NAP!” And he was right, when you do it hits you like a ton of bricks. Windsor castle is truly incredible from the inside out. From the large exterior of walls, moats and gardens. To the detailed artistic qualities in the inside differing from the paintings, wall fixtures, chandeliers and everything! And I must say I want one of those chandeliers in my own house. The tour that we went on for all of these places this day was not to long but I was a little sad time was cut short at these places. But we still got the affect we wanted. Oxford University home of the brilliant minded and celebrities whom attended it! The campus is clearly the largest I’ve ever been on in comparison to UCLA for example. The buildings in its own right were the stars of the show. To imagine getting to enter those buildings for a lecture is just incredible. Unfortunately we didn’t get to enter the buildings due to time restraints but we did get to view the street and shops around it. It was like a zoo, so many people in such a “small” area. I put small in quotations because it was not small in dimensions clearly but due to all the people being around it felt like a little town in LA. Needless to say another amazing day with a fun night with our classmates and London mates! 

My favorite day in the UK! 

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Westminster Abbey, Changing of the Guard, The London Eye and Buck Pal! 
  
To say the least it was a very long and fulfilling day. Westminster Abbey was incredible from the outstanding architecture to the history within the walls themselves. Our tour guide Shaun was the highlight of this trip personally since he was so well educated on his craft and really immersed us in the culture and surroundings. Unfortunately we couldn’t take photos inside the actually building but I can’t complain since it will be engraved in my brain forever. Another favorite moment from this place was the grave of the unnamed solider. Similar as we have it in DC for the tomb of the unknown shoulder symbolizing condolences for those who fought in battle and we lost without recognizing them individually. Truly touching. Moving on next to the changing of the guard, it was a movement in its own. I was amazed by how many people stood to watch them pass as they played their songs from Buckingham Palace. The way the guards carry themselves is to make you feel some type of way, they embody strength an discipline. The London Eye was a beautiful sight from the height at which we were at. You could literally see everything in London. It was crazy to think that it was only to be open for 5 years and be taken down after creating and building such a huge monument. But needless to say people like us, tourists, kept it up and running. And by the way it’s not a Ferris wheel like you think it is! Buckingham Palace was absolutely incredible in its size and stature. Not to mention the artwork and tapestry inside was so detailed and well taken care of. You could tell that this place was special for the people of London. I personally am a huge art fan and love seeing the progression of time within art. So it was interesting to see there was a lot more modern paintings within the walls of “Buck Pal” (As our new local friends call it) next to all the centuries of artworks not to mention the statues. The detailing of the marble is absolutely mind boggling to think someone carved it by hand. And to wrap up our day in cultural time, some of us went to the London Dungeon an interactive show with mazes and amusement. It was very fun and informational when educating us of the more morbid history of London. Personally I loved it even though I was scared by Jack the Ripper. I still cannot express how grateful I am to be here even for only a short time and how amazing the friends I have made on this journey. Again I’m moving here. 

Arriving to my now future home! 

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Arriving in LondonI had to really tell myself I’m actually here in the UK! First getting on the metro was a struggle to say the least. I should have packed lighter as Dr. J instructed but I did need all my shoes, and my jeans and my shirts. Oh and room for souvenirs, but to say the least dragging a big suitcase through a hectic metro station in London is not a cake walk. But walking through the metro, seeing the buildings, pubs, street venders and people all around us was truly breathtaking. At that point I decided I’m going to move here. Thus after we arrived at the hotel sleep deprived, shaken from the heavy turbulence and ecstatic for the new adventures to come. Already understanding how much travel can bring people together from just a short amount of time, everyone offering to help and love one another is a great feeling and amazing to witness. Walking into the hotel room and setting our luggage down made it very clear and real AGAIN, as if I didn’t get it before, that we had made it. The hotel rooms are beautiful and very modern, with cloudy shower glass you can change with a button and make it clear to energy efficient toilets and lights! Our first night we stepped out on the town and got some drinks at The Anchor which is the oldest pub in London! Apparently Shakespeare even went there for drinks after his creative writing days! The atmosphere is simply mind changing and the air is so clean and refreshing. So far so good, already bonding with our group and moving forward with our adventure! 

Windsor, Stonehenge, Oxford, oh my!

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London 12:00

It is Sunday night and our week in London is officially over! I am sad to report that tomorrow morning at 6:30 am our class will be leaving the city and taking the underground to Heathrow airport. Since I last updated this blog I have been to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Oxford University. On Saturday the group went on a bus tour and left the city for the day. The first stop of the tour was Windsor Castle, which is located about 45 minutes outside of London. When I toured Buckingham Palace I was told that the Queen spends a majority of her time living in Windsor Castle. To my disappointment, on Saturday I learned the Queen does not usually live at Windsor. In fact, she only lives there one week out of the entire year. However, Stonehenge came with no disappointment at all! To be able to stand in the presence of a piece of 3,000 year old history is breathtaking. I wish we could have spent more time walking around Stonehenge, but our tour was cut short due to the limited time we had to drive to Oxford. About an hour away from Stonehenge is the city of Oxford and the home of world famous Oxford University. We were not allowed to go inside any of the buildings, but our tour guide gave us a 20 min. waking tour of the surrounding area. After seeing the beautiful Oxford University campus I came back to the hotel and looked into Master’s programs on their website. Unfortunately, the program’s I looked into do not consider accepting students from the USA unless they have a 3.7 GPA. While my hope of possibly attending Oxford University did not pan out, at least I have an official Oxford shirt from one of the gift shops. Now, I must stop writing since it is already 1:00 am here in London and I need to wake up early. Once I get back to Los Angeles I will wrap up my entire experience abroad!

Welcome Fall 2015 Students!

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Hello! Information for each of my English 105 and English 102 courses is available via the menu on this site. Just select the link for the course in which you are enrolled to access the syllabus, course calendar, assignments, and so forth.

Feel free to take a look around to see what we will be up to this semester and feel free to email me with any questions. Thanks and I look forward to meeting you!

Professor Jordan

Research Realities

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Research Realities By: Aimee and Laura With coming out to the Cook Islands, we were excited to conduct a new type of research. This excitement was blinded by the difficulties that come along with marine research. After being split into our teams these specific challenges started showing. Today, the reef team conducted research on the […]

Ciguatera Interviews

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Shannon and I have been going around this beautiful island interviewing locals. We’ve talked to some fisherman and hospital personal along with many others, everyone is very kind! It is interesting to hear about stories and theories of possible causes. It seems to be a random fish poisoning that makes people here on Aitutaki sick. […]