although i don't get to teach yoga down here (formally, at least), i do have the ridiculously fun opportunity to teach hands-on biology to professional science journalists. it is no doubt a full time job (8am to 11pm-ish) packed with experiments, lectures, troubleshooting, beer, answering questions, wine, microscopy, and spontaneous planning (an oxymoron for sure). i didn't think i was getting paid for this gig, i knew i didn't have to pay for room and board, but i definitely don't feel the need for compensation...really. the 7 students are bright, interested, and just plain cool. from the states, kenya, and brazil, they are well-established science writers who are here to play like a research scientist. to think like one, get data like one, and get frustrated like one. what really goes on behind the scenes and how do we do what we do?
i'm really content here at the mbl and in doing what i'm doing here, i.e. teaching. i'm not a "cell-science-nature" scientist, i don't think, but i do know i can teach an ant what the golgi apparatus is. i love it (teaching, not the golgi), i can hold my own, and i heart seeing the lightbulb shoot off the crown of a student's head who "gets it." and let's just go ahead and make this all about me (haha)...it's damn rewarding and students teach me a ton. but seriously, i look forward to a career in teaching and hope my students (all disciplines) get out of me at least as much as they give me...
