Catching up with an ex volunteer, Dean Philpot
We asked Dean, who has just finished his Masters in Tropical Coastal management about his placement….
1. When and where did you go for you Lattitude placement and what did you do?
I went to Costa Rica for 7 months during 2012 from January (new years day) until early August where I was positioned as a ‘Resident Naturalist’ in San Miguel Biological Station of Cabo Blanco ‘Absolute Nature Reserve.’
2. Describe briefly your daily/weekly duties?
I co-managed San Miguel station assisting the park guards by keeping out and educating approaching tourists and through park maintenance duties. The second key role was as an assistant, to the resident scientists, by supporting them in teaching and facilitating small research projects of visiting student groups from the US who used the research station as a field site for post-secondary and higher environmental education. I also coordinated other volunteers and maintained weather recordings, species sightings and inventory. The balance of these duties differed week by week but occurred for the duration of my experience.
3. Why did you decide to volunteer with us in the first place?
I required a further “3-6 months tropical marine research experience” in order to attend postgraduate education (a masters in Tropical Coastal Management), and upon approaching Lattitude Global Volunteering I instantly recognised, and completely agreed with, the flawless methods in which they presently work, namely 1) the friendly staff, 2) the efficient documentation and process, and 3) attractive and sensible mandate.
4. What are you doing at the minute?
A couple of months after I returned August 2012 I pursued the masters in Tropical Coastal Management, so at present I have just completed this course and am due to graduate December 2013.
5. What skills did you learn or develop during your placement that help you in your current work?
Too many to list but in summary I learnt a lot about both terrestrial and marine species and habitats of Latin America, from the expertise of a range of visiting professors, local Costa Rican park guards and friends. I also advanced my scientific knowledge, specifically and in terms of theory, as well as statistical analysis, to scientific paper writing and publishing, to aspects of teaching, logistics for tropical-based field courses and also my Spanish.
6. Do you feel like your volunteering experience helped you to get you where you wanted to be?
Yes, without question, without Lattitude Global Volunteering I am certain that if I took a volunteering experience with another NGO I would not have as potent knowledge to assist in my understanding and perspective on the theory and practice through the assignments provided for the requirements of the Tropical Coastal Management masters (MSc) undertaken.
7. What was the most important thing you learnt on your placement?
Very difficult question but I would say that it helped me decide, in terms of a ‘marine biology career,’ which paths in life don’t interest me as much, and also how to work in an environmental context with people of a different culture though a different language - both of paramount importance to my future.
8. How would you describe the balance between work and ‘fun’ while you were volunteering?
Well as the experience was tailored to me, I was conducting work which I consider completely enjoyable therefore allowing me to excel in my passion towards nature and so I consider the balance at a complete equilibrium - even walking over the slippery tidepools at night with students and countless flies was ‘fun.’ I was in my element, in the tropics I feel like another person.
9. What were the most challenging/rewarding aspects of your placement?
The most rewarding aspects included passing over my enthusiasm for the marine environment to the visiting students and seeing their faces learning something incredible about the environment in the park. Forming a professional and cultural network to local staff, professors and professionals was also very rewarding career wise.
As to the most challenging, I would say the only difficulty I felt was returning to the more complicated life of the UK where I still believe I am feeling the effects of ‘Reverse Culture Shock.’
10. Would you go back if you had the chance?
Definitely - 100%, I made very close friends and second families over there who I must revisit. I also have a close friend who married a Costa Rican girl recently and I am seriously considering seeking employment in the environmental sector out there, providing me two solid reasons to return in the future.
11. Would you like to add anything else…..
I was, and am still, astonished by how willing the staff of Lattitude Global Volunteering were in going above and beyond to provide me with, what I would call, the perfectly tailored volunteering experience. I am currently processing a blog entitled “the Cradle of Life - my Costa Rican experience” containing a more detailed full account of my experiences over the 7-month period, which I aim to get online in the very near future.
