A season of fieldwork, especially in a different country, always requires much preparation. In my first year of graduate school, I learned that it was more than just getting equipment together…

I was preparing to spend several months in Brazil collecting data on morphological and reproductive characteristics of loggerheads. In addition to acquiring calipers, rite in the rain notebooks, etc., my advisor encouraged me to do 3 things before I headed down to Brazil: learn to drive, learn Portuguese, and learn about Brazilian culture.

Having grown up as a chauffeur-driven Indian, I had not had the opportunity to learn how to drive. It was felt that driving lessons prior to my departure would be extremely useful for data collection in Brazil. So, Peter Eliazar at the Archie Carr Center was requested to give me driving lessons. Peter remained very patient and cheerful through all my lessons, which took place, almost daily, at an empty parking lot next to the Gainesville mall. I was given driving lessons in the very same car he had taught his four children to drive! And before I left for Brazil, I was the happy owner of a Florida Driver’s License, which I passed around proudly to everyone at my farewell party!

I also had to learn Portuguese. So, I dropped my Physiological Ecology course, much to the disappointment of the professor, to take up Portuguese lessons. He expressed his disapproval by mumbling something unintelligible to me whenever we crossed paths in the department. At first I was quite perplexed by these mumblings, but soon identified them as Portuguese; a-ha! he was testing my progress with my so-called Portuguese lessons! Among the first things that my Portuguese lessons taught me to say were, “He is married,” “She is married,” “Are you married?” “I am not married.” Hmmm…I was looking forward to Brazil!

Finally, to further my education of Brazilian culture, Karen loaned me novels by Jorge Amado. So, when I finally arrived in Brazil, I had acquired far more than just equipment, and when I left Brazil I had gained far more than just data.