Journal Entry 3

I had never heard of FGCU's Food Forest until the first day of class when I parked by it and noticed the dumpster painted outside. Even then I still really didn't know what it was or what to expect when we visited a few weeks later. When we were first standing outside of the Food Forest, I honestly wasn't impressed. It didn't look like much and I thought it was "dirty" because of all the newspaper I saw laying around. I still listened and kept an open mind as we entered. My group first went to an avocado tree, which I have never seen one before. I was disappointed to find out there were none growing right now. Then next to the avocado tree was a ginormous pile of dirt. I forgot exactly what it was called but it was filled with a bunch of things to help plants grow and would require much less work. It is something new they just built and I found that very interesting. I also then learned that a component to help it grow was the newspaper which explained why I saw that laying around in the soil. It wasn't just trash, which was nice to find out. Then as we went around the Food Forest some more I was very interested in the different type of things they had growing, a lot of them I had never heard of. Then it came time to "eat" some of the things growing in the Food Forest. This I was very skeptical about and didn't try the first few things. Later on I finally gave in and tried a couple things that turns out I actually enjoyed. I regretted not giving everything a try. My favorite thing I tried was the one that tasted like an apple or cheese.. it's still unknown. Another thing I really enjoyed were the plants that had a really strong aroma. Most of them smelt like some of the candles I purchase except maybe stronger which really blew my mind. I also found the banana tree quite interesting. Bananas are my favorite fruit so I thought it was cool to see where they come from and that they can grow well right where I live. One thing that I really didn't enjoy was the fact that it was "dry" season and nothing was really growing. I will need to go back and visit when everything is blooming, I am sure it is a beautiful sight. I am glad I kept an open mind during this field trip because it turns out I really enjoyed the Food Forest. So much that I chose to do my service learning hours there. I am excited to learn even more about the Food Forest and be apart of something so cool that our campus has to offer. I do believe that this perfectly fits with FGCU's mission in sustainability because it is using given resources in order to grow food, healthier food at that. Another great thing, IT IS FREE. How cool students and faculty can come and get freshly grown food there. They can also plant something they want in there if they really like. I have never thought about the benefits of growing your own food before but I think it is something I want to try to start doing in the future. I don't exactly have the room at the moment so I might have to either start with something small or head on over to our Food Forest. I think the Food Forest is something cool and makes FGCU even more unique. I hope that because of permaculture it is there for many years to come, maybe my kids or even grandkids will be able to come visit it.

Journal Entry 2

My home at the moment is at Coastal Village Apartments. It has a nice trail that encircles a beautiful pond. It is 70 degrees in January, which is a lot better than the 30 degrees I am used to back in Missouri. Each morning I start my day by making coffee and sitting outside on my make shift porch.

 It is a very relaxing and peaceful way start to my day. I love the view of the pond and palm trees and typically the morning breeze. I would also say this is my "sense of place." On nice days I typically sit out there and do my homework, read a book, talk on the phone, or just simply enjoy the weather. Since moving out to Florida I have started becoming a more "outdoorsy" person and I fully believe it is due to the weather being nice year round. I love after having a stressful day being able to just come outside, breathe in some freeze air, and just take a step back and think about life. When I really need a break and the porch just isn't cutting it, I go on walks around the trail. Today I wasn't relieving stress specifically when I went on my walk, I went to actually just enjoy and appreciate my surroundings. It was pretty windy yesterday and might have stormed over night so I noticed a lot more dead palms laying around. I also saw this squirrel who allowed me to get very close to him, once I got too close though he ran up that tree and observed what I was doing. I also saw these 2 ducks (not exactly sure) walking around on land but heading towards the pond where I saw 4 smaller ducks in the pond swimming away.

It was still a little windy from yesterday but it was still a decently nice day. Throughout my walk around the pond I only saw one other person and fortunately for me she was also just enjoying the weather. She was sitting in a hammock, listening to music. I didn't exactly know what song she was listening to but it was very calming. It was fast or upbeat or too loud. It was soft and quiet. She didn't have a book or anything else either, she was just simply hanging out right there. I am not sure how long she had been there or how long she stayed but I do know that this might be her sense of place.

Journal Entry 1

I have lived in Kansas City, Missouri my whole life. I recently moved to Southwest Florida this past fall. Back in Missouri, fall was always my favorite season. It was never too hot and never too cold. I loved going for brisk walks and being surrounded by the beauty of the autumn colored leaves falling around me. I was disappointed with "fall" in Florida, it was comparable to my summer in Missouri. Going to the pumpkin patch and drinking hot cocoa just wasn't the same. However, I was never a fan of winter in Missouri. I absolutely hate the cold weather. It is actually painful; the cold wind smacking me in the face as I walk across campus or not being able to make it some place because the roads are covered in snow or ice. Although associated with Christmas is snow and cold weather, I wasn't upset when it was 80 degrees and I was able to go to the beach this year. I haven't done much exploring in Florida, especially down here in Fort Myers but what I have done I have enjoyed. I've spent quite a bit of time on the beaches. Laying out by the beach and reading a book is some of the best therapy and relaxation I can find. I truly love the sounds you hear between the waves crashing against the shore, birds, and the soft voices of the people around you. I have also began late night runs around my apartment. The weather is perfect at night year round to enjoy a run and get a clear mind before bed. Back in Missouri I was never much of an "outdoorsy" person. I never really cared to be outside unless it was a nice day and we haven't had one in awhile. Even on those days though I would've much rather drove around with the windows down then just sit outside and enjoy the weather. Whereas ever since I've moved out here I spend a lot more time embracing the beautiful weather and scenery down here. Especially now while all my friends back home are freezing. I usually do most of my homework outside. It makes doing homework much more enjoyable. I love the more "tropical" part of nature rather than the wilderness. I've never been a huge fan of forests, murky waters, and wild animals. I have beyond thankful we don't have a fieldtrip where we actually have to get in the water this semester but I am still anxious about how I will feel on our fieldtrips. This class will definitely require me to get out of my comfort zone and although I am nervous I am excited for these new experiences. I hope that this class opens my eyes and changes my perspective on our world and nature. I hope I learn the impact I have on our world and how to improve my actions to positively affect it. The thing I hope to gain most from this class is to conquer my fears and try things I normally wouldn't. I think that is something that I can learn from and take with me throughout life. My New Year's resolution this year was to say "yes" more, take some risks, and get out of my comfort zone so I believe this class will help me do that. I feel like throughout the rest of my education, my career, and just my adult life in general if I apply that attitude I will experience more and be a more well rounded person for it. I know that isn't the big "take home" point of this class but it is something that I personally will gain from it.