Still Waiting

I'm still waiting to hear back from the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS) as to whether or not I was accepted to be an intern in the fall. I looked on their website and it said they're now accepting applications until March 31st when originally applications were due in December. Their intern's training and duties include:

1. The Seychelles whale shark programme: findings, achievements, why it exists 2. Basic whale shark information and biology 3. Whale shark data collection: filling out forms, writing up data, the systems and spreadsheets 4. Photo identification: sorting and filing images, pre-process preparation, matching software 5. Snorkel training and water skills development for whale shark activities (subject to qualifications) 6. Communication training: between micro-light and boat and between boats 7. Boat operations: logistics, protocols, and safety 8. Micro-light aerial survey support and data handling, software use 9. Environmental monitoring equipment use, data capturing and handling 10. Study area orientation and geography The progress I wanted to make this week was to outline my capstone thesis if I were to go to the A) Georgia Aquarium, B) Marine Conservation Society Seychelles, or C) Whale Shark Oceanic Research Center. Right now as it stands, if I were to go with A: Georgia Aquarium, my tentative thesis would be going along with the comments I have been given "How can we most accurately study the behavior of the whale shark-- through aquarium research or in the wild?" I want my MCSS thesis to somehow study the successful components of their whale shark ecotourism efforts and how the MCSS works in conjunction with the Shark Institute Seychelles and other more global organizations. If I went to Honduras with the WSORC I would want to see how effective educational efforts are in promoting conservation and protecting whale sharks, and again look at the successful (or unsuccessful) components of their ecotourism operation. So now I'm still stuck waiting to hear back from the Georgia Aquarium and the MSCC so I can make some definite progress in the right direction instead of moving forward in 3 different directions. I need the most input helping me round out my thesis ideas for the MCSS and WSORC.