Entry #2: My Outdoor Self

           I have lived all over the country, Washington State, California, Hawaii, South Carolina, and now Florida.  Every state that I have lived in is on the coast and as a result my reoccurring outdoor experiences have taken place at the beach.  Although I had an active outdoor childhood, my adolescent and young adult life has primarily revolved around indoor activities.  I would not consider myself an “outdoorsy” individual but this is not due to a dislike for the outdoors. 

            Throughout my college experience I have also found that little involvement or focus has been placed on outdoor activities and the environment.  Just recently in class I was informed for the first time that the world’s fish population is facing possible extinction.  This information was shocking to me because not only is it horrific but also because it is a topic that I have not heard, learned about, or discussed before with my peers and teachers.  It is astonishing that such a dangerous crisis is on our hands but instead I hear people talking about which celebrity broke up with who. 

            My sense of place in my life is focused on indoor activities, especially during the school semester.  My sense of place in the world is clearly limited and uninformed.  I have virtually no educational experience in the outdoors or on the outdoors since my adolescents.  After being introduced to a few of the major local and global concerns for the world and its different ecosystems, I look forward to having outdoor educational experiences and learning more about the current and future state of the world.  I am interested to see how learning about the environment, taking educational outdoor field trips, and performing my service learning hours will alter my opinion and current state of knowledge about the world and how these events will change my future actions and participation in educating myself on the issues as well as involving myself in their cause.