Week 12.......Final Week At Internship

My last week at the internship was mellow. I was in the entomology department and I separated insects from a marine base. I also gave my presentation on Thursday, and I just basically talked about my internship experience at the museum, and some projects that I finished. The employer evaluate me really well. Some of my strengths were that I worked great independently, I was on time, and I always got my work done. Some areas of improvements was that I was quiet. Something special that happen to me was that I got a certificate for completing the internship at the museum, and I also got a t-shirt from the museum store. I love the shirt; its black and and it says Paleontology and in the bottom is says, can you dig it.

Week 11....Almost there

What I will miss the most about the internship experience is that I got to leave school early and that I didn't have a 4th period. What I will most about the job is the environment. Everyone is so nice in the museum, and I will miss that caring environment. The favorite thing that I did in my internship was that I got a behind the scenes of the museum. I got to go were not everyone gets to go. What I will not miss about my internship is the bus ride over there; I don't like buses. The least favorite thing that I did in my internship was that I was always switching departments so I didn't get the full experience on each of the departments.

Week 8/9

Something that I wanted to learn about my internship that I haven't learn about is where and how to they keep the stuff they find; like fossils, etc. Something that I would of liked to try was how if felt to be out in the field looking for something. For example, I would of liked to go out and see how they find fossils and the process of it, and how they figure out were to look. If I had the opportunity to be hired as a real paying job I would love that because I already enjoy what I'm doing right know. If I had to pick a department to work at I will work at the Paleontology department because I like it a lot, and I like what I do there.

Week 7

This week I was in the paleontology department. What I learned this week was how to screen wash. What it is you put the shells in a bucket with hot water and let it soaked  for about a day. Then you get two buckets and fill one with hot water. Then you get the shaker so the dirt all falls out and your left with only the shells. Then you wash it with clean water, and then lay it out on newspaper so it can dry. What I liked about my internship this week was that I got to sort out shells form a construction site. It was cool because they were  big and small pretty shells, and I noticed that I'm good with patience because they are really tiny shells and sometimes it hard to clean them because they break. I didn't dislike anything this week.

Week 6

The week I was in the paleontology deparment. What I learned this week was I saw new kinds of shells that I never seen before. I saw tiny and big shells that had different kind of patterns. What I like about my internship this week was that I got to see all kinds of shells from a construction site. They were in layers, so some of this shells might be really old, and that so cool. This week I didn't dislike anything.

Week 5: Another Week

This week I was in the Entomology department and I learned the family scientific names for some insects. Some examples are that , flies are Diptera, and beetles are Coleoptera. What I liked about my  internship was that I got to see so many new kinds of insects. I saw all sorts of flies, from big to small, from all different kind of colors; it was amazing how there are so many kinds of flies. I also saw different wasps, and beetles. I am also getting better at using a microscope, so that's a plus. I'm also learning to be more detailed. What I didn't like about my internship is that this insects are so small so its sometimes hard to tell them apart, but since I have been doing that for a week, I think I am getting better at it.

Week 4: Chugging Along

What I learned this week that I did not know the previous week is how the employees in the botany department go out on the field to find plants. I also learned that when they go out in the field they  write down the location, if there in a canyon or not, what is close to that location, the latitude and longitude,  description of the plant, and plants that surround it. What I liked about my internship this week is that I actually got to experience how they work in the field. I got to pick a plant write down everything, got back to the museum to print out a label that has all the information, press the plant, and in the end I get to take the plant home. What I dislike in my internship this week is that I needed to take pictures of dead rattlesnakes so they can put them in the museums website. I didn't like it that much because I don't like  snakes even though there dead, and plus they had this scary look on their faces that was staring right at me.

Week 2&3- What I'm up to

This 2 weeks I have been in the Botany and Herpetology department. In the botany department I learned how to press plants to paper and put a label on them so they can put in this big storage's to keep for record, and so it can be easy to find one if they need to look back it. In the herpetology I learned different kind of species of lizards. What I liked about my internship this past 2 weeks is that I got to do things I've never done. For example, in the botany department I got to see all different kinds of plants and how they have some plants since the 1950's . In the herpetology department I got to touch dead lizards and put museum tags. One things that I dislike about my internship is when I first saw the dead lizards and had to touch them; at first I was disgusted, but then I got use it.

Week One/Company Information

My first week at my internship was really relaxing. I clean shells that they found in a construction site, while listening to music. The major player at my internship is Janet Morris and she is in charge of the interns and volunteers at the museum. My main responsibilities for right now is carefully cleaning the shells and not break them. The service that my internship company sells is showing evidence of how the earth has been here for so may years and how it has changed over time. They display fossils, exhibits, etc.

Before I start

I am interning for the San Diego Natural History Museum. My expectations from this internship are that I am going to have fun, and I will also have more work experience. I also expect that this will  guide me of what I want my career to be. What I hope to learn from this internship is to gain skills and work experience so it can help me on my future. I selected this internship because I like what the museum does, it will help me select my career, and it will open my eyes to opportunities.