I started the year in Seattle, doing some training for my job as a Marine Fisheries Observer. By mid January I was in Alaska. While there I was on several different boats. The first was the Alaska Warrior, which was over 200 ft long. I spent more than two months collecting data on Atka Mackerel and Yellow Fin Sole. After that I was on three smaller boats measuring Pacific Cod and Black Cod. In the time between boats I was able to enjoy some time on land in Alaska. I was fortunate to have some nice weather in Dutch Harbor so I could hike to the top of Mt Ballyhoo, I got to spend a couple of days around Acutan seeing life in small town Alaska and I saw the northern lights in Fairbanks.
After finishing my first contract in Alaska, I headed to my parents new home in Alliston, Ontario Canada. I stayed for about a month before signing on to a volunteer project in the Aceh region of Indonesia with my sister, Laura.Laura and I worked with Mike who was managing the project long term and two other volunteers who came to work for a month. We helped with the reconstruction of homes that were destroyed in the tsunami of the year before. We constucted some forms to pour concrete into. We dug holes for foundations and poured some cement. The Indonesians that we worked with were very friendly and they invited us to a wedding, to go camping, spelunking and motorcycle riding.
After leaving Indonesia I spent three weeks traveling in Malaysia and Thailand. I wandered the streets of Kuala Lumpur, explored the jungles and caves of Taman Negara national park, dove on the reefs off the Perhentian Islands, and scaled the cliffs near Krabi. 
I returned to Alliston after my travels but after only a short time we found that my Grandmother had died in South Dakota. I drove across country with my parents for the funeral and stayed for two weeks in Corsica with my mother and aunts and uncles while they went through the estate.
For the last 3 months I have been staying at Mom and Dad's house. I have been organizing my pictures from the last several years, watching too much television and occasionally getting out with people from church to go paint balling, play games, or just hang out.
Last week I made a quick trip to Georgia to see the wedding of a friend from my time in the Peace Corps. It was really enjoyable to see some old friends again.
