Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventures here on the Zoo’s website!
Hello there! My name is Brenda, and I am a junior in high school this year. Honestly, I am not someone who many people, including myself, would have expected to see in a program like this. I do not come from an outdoor-loving family, thus I never got to participate in outdoor activities. I’ve never had pets, even though I did all my research and pulled every persuasion tactic I could find, and most of my family fears anything that comes from outside. My interest in the natural world was completely unprovoked and still managed to grow exponentially, despite my indoor upbringing. Nobody could understand what about animals and the outdoors was so interesting to me. I used to have heated arguments with my family about the temperament of sharks because everybody thought I was crazy for liking them, and predictably, no one else believed that I deserved to own a pair of goats in the fifth grade.
Besides animals, other interests of mine include activities such as gardening (even though I am not very good), and other random things like crocheting and soap-making. I just like to know a little bit about a lot of things. Swimming is also something I really enjoy, and I plan on obtaining a scuba certification in the future so I can dive the Great Barrier Reef— diving the Great Barrier Reef has been on my Bucket List for a very long time.
I am extremely excited to be here because it allows me to expand my horizons, and learn about the natural world in a way that I never could before. I find it difficult to come across likeminded people, and it will be a welcomed opportunity to be surrounded by individuals who don’t think that I am crazy. I also think that I can gain a better understanding of where I would fit best in this field because there are so many different career paths I could take—which honestly, can be a bit overwhelming. I know wholeheartedly what general path I would like to take, but I am anxious to see where I choose to end up.
Brenda
Winter Session, 2019
