Dreams and Aspirations

Last night I posed a question to a few people: "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" The best answer I got was everything! I chuckled because that makes the most sense realistically. I was asked the question and answered being a professional dancer. I went to sleep and assumed I'd never really think about that question again. I was wrong. I woke up this morning and for some reason it was still lurking on my mind. So I ask myself the question again

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

The answer bubbling within my boyo (my nickname for gut) was different to what I answered last night. This is what I would do:

I would merge my interest and passion - the environment and education (respectively). A lot of what I do is centred around going back to Saint Lucia (eventually) and applying it there. I envision people asking me what I do, and I respond "I am Environmental Education Officer," or something along those lines. My position would be to create educational programming with various businesses and organisations to get children (and the wider community) involved and educated about environmental issues. The children are the future and if they do not possess the mindset necessary to make change we are destined to fail. I would create innovative and exciting activities for various age ranges, use existing environmental groups within the school system and have a nation wide event where students get to be creative and share their experiences while developing skills to help them excel.

I would have such a wide range of activities that a large cross section of children will be reached and a greater impact would be made. For the more academically inclined students a debating competition with environmental topics that are centred around our environmental issues - the effects of climate change on our small island developing state, coral reefs, deforestation and loss of biodiversity to name a few. These topics will not only be strictly environmentally based, but will encompass other areas relevant to our sustenance. Aspects of development, business and industry can and will also be incorporated into the discussions. For the more hands on learners they would be given the opportunity to create and/or design environmentally friendly products or services. Other activities would stem around responsibility, reciprocity, relationship and respect - The Four Rs of Indigenous Cultures. If we can instil these values in our youth then we can restore true national pride.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to what I would do. I get so excited just thinking and talking about this. THIS is what I need to do with my life. I need to find out how I can do it.


Now I pose the question to you "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading
-The Empress

Where do the fish go?

This was an assignment I had to write for my Environmental Communications course. I figured it would be good to share some of my work with you. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. I have no title for this piece.

Coral reefs are living environments and home to many fishes. According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 67% of fishes moved to healthier coral when their coral home dies. This new coral home is usually close to their original home.

The study tested how long it takes the fishes to move to a healthier spot once the coral dies and how many of them will move.

Three scientists from Australia found that there are three factors that determine whether the fish move. They are the health of the original coral home, whether a new home is available and if that new home has other fishes they can breed with. Competition from other fishes is a big factor that causes the fish not to move.

Corals are very tiny, colourful marine animals. They live close together in colonies and have a hard skeleton made from the same material as seashells.

Fish love happy coral. Hurricanes, changes in the sea temperature and other things like pollution make the coral unhappy. Coral bleaching happens when the unhappy coral move away and leave behind the white skeleton. Coral bleaching does not happen all at once on the whole reef. It happens in patches. The coral never moves back if the conditions remain the same or get worse. When this happens the reef is said to be dead.

Disturbances to coral reefs can happen naturally. Human activities can also cause disturbances to coral reefs.

Human caused disturbances are adding to the effects of natural disturbances. This is threatening the lives of many animals and plants as well as how the environment is working.

The study found that coral bleaching did not affect the fish. They remained at the bleached reef.

Although the fish chose to stay at the bleached reefs, their dark or colourful bodies against the white reef make them easily seen.

A dead reef keeps its structure, but it still does not have everything fish need to live there. When the coral dies another tiny plant called algae moves unto the skeleton and starts growing. This new plant does not support the fish and makes it harder for the fish to find hiding spots from other fish that want to eat it. Once the reef died the fish moved to another reef.

Certain fish rely on certain types of coral colonies. If the fish is to move successfully and live, it needs its preferred coral colony to move along.

While some new fish came from the dead reef to a healthier one, some from the healthy reef left. The total number of fish did not change which means that no fish died because of the death of the reef.

Each school of fish has a hierarchal system. The new fish cause the fish at the bottom of the system to move out.

The presence of other fishes at healthy coral reefs stopped some fishes from moving to a new reef. It’s like a high school cafeteria. The new kid wants somewhere to sit and each his lunch. He tries to find a table which has other people so he doesn’t sit alone. Each table he approaches gives him the look of death so he goes back. It’s the same thing with the fishes.

Fish from the dead reef approach the new reef in the hopes of finding a new home. Fish from the healthy reef chase them away.

The fish from the healthy reef may feel threatened by the new fish, and because of this they chase them away. The new fish may be more aggressive or social dominating. If they are, food, space and mating partners may be affected.

When choosing a new reef fishes look for “good neighbours.” A good neighbour is one which the fish can breed with.

Fish preferred having other fish they could mate with over a healthy reef. Of the 64% of fish that were successful in finding a new reef, all except for 2 chose a reef with good neighbours. Some of the fish travelled far to find a new reef with good neighbours.

Fish choose reefs with good neighbour not only because they can mate with them but for additional protection against predators.

The scientists concluded that an important factor in regards to the movement of fish was the presence of other fish it could mate with. Conversely, competition for food, shelter and mating partners did not hinder the movement of fish. Fish also moved out from dead coral before the structure of it was gone. 

A Moment For Me

I thought I would be able to handle it, but as time creeps up I'm beginning to change my mind.

I thought I could handle seeing all my friends graduate in June and not have my time in the light that season, but as each one is done with assignments and exams it makes me sadder and sadder that I won't truly be able to share in their victory. I can't say to myself, one more exam and this is it! I'm done! No. Instead I have smile to say congratulations and hope that they don't hear the "Lucky *scoff*" under my breath.

It's not that I am resentful of their victory and success. It's not that I didn't put myself where I am. It's just that I don't get to do my victory dance just yet. I don't get my moment of glory where I hug my friends wearing my green gown, holding my flowers and chocolates and other congratulatory gifts.

And yes this is motivation to keep pushing because my time is almost here, just not yet. But it still would have felt great to say "Yes! WE are done" with my friends.

-The Empress.

Expectations

"Expectations lead to Disappointments"

How many times have you heard this saying or a variation of it? I know I've been saying it a lot lately to remind myself of an error I made and hopefully won't make again. I expected that something would be one way instead of going into the situation with an open mind and rolling with the breeze. My high expectations were quite different to what the situation had prepared. I was quite disappointed. And instead of letting go as soon as I found out I still trying to see if I could manipulate the situation to make it as close to what I wanted as possible. My manipulative efforts were in vain. And hence even more disappointment was created.

Don't get me wrong, there are some things that happen in life that we need to have an idea of how we want things to turn out - a job interview, moving to a new city, an exam, that kind of thing. There are others that we need to go with flow whether we're in charge or not. Enjoy the moment and be free. When we try to control everything we end up in trouble or disappointed.


Go forth and be free. Explore life and the joys within it.

-The Empress

Who Inspires You? Part Three

There are people that come into your life for a purpose. When their time is done, they leave. You remember the lessons they taught you and live a better life.

There are other people that are in your life for years. From the day you meet them til the day you die, they remain in your life and are a good source of inspiration among other things to you.

This next inspiration to me has been in and out of my life, due to distance, for some years now. I met her in my first year of high school and ever since we've been friends. Sometimes I really wonder how she deals with me, my mood swings, impulsive behaviour and randomness. A few weeks back I sat with her and a few other people and listened to her speak. When she spoke it was like deja vu. It was so eloquent it reminded me of the our "good ole days."

My friend Gemma Edwin inspires me to be educated, knowledgeable, well versed and open minded. It's amazing the way a conversation between the two of us unfolds. A simple topic such as grocery shopping turns into a three hour conversation on capitalism, organic food, ethics and globalization. It truly is wonderful to have a friend who encourages your own growth and curiosity.

So to Gemma I raise my green bottle and say FIRE ONE!

Thanks for being such an inspiration to me!

-The Empress