Tuesday was silently celebrated as all of the interns hit the benchmark 90% inter-observer reliability required to independently collect behavioral data. This marks a significant “breathing” point, as they can rest with the fact that they have a set schedule of observations to get through, allowing for time to travel, mingle, or just goof off. The normal amount of time needed to reach 90% reliability is ~10 days. However, everybody is different. Some can get there in about 5 days, and others might take the whole 10. Given that I have some mercury obligations in another province, I’m happy that I was able to spend a little more time with everyone before heading out on Sunday.

As is with all of our intern groups, everyone quickly formed a tight bond and banded together as a cohesive unit. It truly is one of the joys of our work- being able to bring like-minded strangers together, and then to leave as friends and enthusiastic panda-educated missionaries. Thinking back to our early internship program, from 2011 and 2012, we only had available space for one or two people at a time. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for them given the limited amount of comradery. Now, we bring three or four interns each season and the level of satisfaction is much, as far as I can tell, better.

With one full day at the base before I need to start packing my bags, it’s always hard to say goodbye. To Jonathan, Katherine, Lorelei, and Michelle- Thank you all for a great time and for making my job easy as I leave the program in highly capable hands. Take care of yourselves and each other.

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