Option 1 or Option 2?

The way I see it, I have 2 real options for an internship, thus leading to a capstone project. Ideally I would be able to do both, but there's a possibility I might not get either. Last week I was busy trying to coordinate and think through my options.

OPTION 1) Volunteer at the Whale Shark Oceanic Research Center (WSORC), an organization located on an island off the coast of Honduras. I finally received an email from their volunteer coordinator (2 months and 2 phone calls to Honduras later...). They are open to volunteers coming to help with education and whale shark encounters. Doesn't sound like there is any application process to fill out, the volunteer coordinator just wanted me to let her know when I'd be coming. As a volunteer I would be expected to do the following:

- Staff the WSORC information center and answer visitor inquiries

- Research/design/produce informational materials in English and Spanish

- Research/design/teach whale shark programs to local school children in English and Spanish

- Present whale shark information sessions to Utila Lodge guests/island visitors

- Serve as crew on whale shark encounter snorkel boat trips

OPTION 2) Be a husbandry intern at the Georgia Aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium is one of the only aquariums in the world to have whale sharks on exhibit. I planned on moving to Georgia anyways after graduation to work at that aquarium because they continue research both at the facility and in Mexico. As a husbandry intern my duties would include:

 Diet preparation and feeding

 Collecting and delivering water samples

 Commissary clean-up

 Exhibit and husbandry area maintenance

 Behavioral observations

 Animal enrichment

 Data recording and data entry

 Assisting biologists with animal handling and medical procedures

 Attending and participating in staff and departmental meetings

So the way I look at it Option 1 would give me the chance to do a whale shark conservation project by researching/designing/producing materials to educate locals and tourists. It would also give me the chance to share my message with locals who have the stewardship to take care of whale sharks and rich tourists who could potentially give donations down the road. It would also let me see how whale shark ecotourism works first hand by being a crew member of their snorkel excursions. Option 2 would give me the chance to do more of the scientific research I find fascinating about whale sharks. I will be able to care for whale sharks in a completely different setting than in the wild. The other advantage of option 2 is that I want to end up working at the Georgia Aquarium so having a husbandry internship through them would be helpful when applying. Right now I am moving forward with both options until one of them falls into place or I know the direction I want to take.

I also feel like I should share my feelings about the comments I've received thus far. First of all, thank you for the encouragement. I'm still so bashful to be publicly announcing I have this weird quirk obsession with whale sharks. The Discovery Channel and shark week were mentioned or implied once or twice and since I have the forum to let my opinions be heard, here it is: as much as I like sharks, I do not like shark week that much. The Discovery Channel needs to branch out a little on shark diversity. Shark week seems like it's a week long slew of shark attack stories and the Discovery Channel should change their direction and use shark week as a chance to show that sharks are not dangerous man-eaters. I have thought about contacting Discovery and requesting they do an episode on whale sharks... or any other shark for that matter besides the great white or tiger shark. What that all boils down to is that the only reason I would try to work closely with the Discovery Channel's shark week would be to demand a change of pace and get more segments of awe-inspiring (whale shark) or elusive (Greenland shark) species.

One last thing. For those of you who don't get what the "big deal" is about whale sharks, click here to see my absolute favorite whale shark video. Absolutely inspiring. Feel free to wander to this link after a long and stressful day. I swear it helps.