Week 53: Semester 4; Second Years!

Our classes started this week and they are going to be really awesome and keep me very busy again this semester. Here is my normal break-down:
Wildlife Education 4/Lab: This is our long awaited out-reach class. That means that instead of the usual kids paying up and coming here for a show, we go to them. We do nine free shows for a few lucky places that range from your average schools to the Ronald McDonald house and a juvenille detention center. I'm really looking forward to seeing how all this goes. In addition, towards the end we also start a bit on a few Spring Spec. plannings and we do the script reveal.
Animal Training 2/Lab: This is a continuation of last semester's training course. This semester we focus on training husbandry behaviors (this means things that allow the animal to assist in its own care, i.e. crating, medical procedures, etc.). For the lab I'm going to train Bwana (turaco) to crate and Mau (pig) to desensitize to ear manipulation and possibly move it forward to a blood draw from the ear vein. This is the class that our big Davis field trip occurs for.
Elementary Vet Procedures 1/Lab: This is taught by our vet. Here we will be learning about the ethical and emotional issues of treating animals, as well as actually discuss diseases and husbandry related issues in the field. We also have a big paper to write as though we were invited to present at a conference on a topic of our choosing. In the lab we will be working with our own zoo animals and assisting in their care, as well as doing some more formal things like dissections.
Second Year #1 Zoo Work Skills: The catch-all class it always is for everything we do at the zoo that doesn't fall under another class.
Zoo Days 2: Same as the summer. We have three zoo days in LA and two in Santa Barbara.
Professional Resumes: This is taught by our primate person (also the projects person). She is very savvy at how to set us up for job success in the real world and this is basically a class where she begins to give us those helpful hints. We will all work on and build resumes and cover letters to use once we graduate. This class is only half the semester and the other half it will continue with interview skills (I'll fill you in on that when it starts).
So, that's my super-busy schedule! Also, it was the hubby's b-day this week, and we celebrated the heck out of it! My buddy cooked us dinner and a cake for him! On Saturday, we went to Marina Del Rey to visit my uncle who I've recently found out has moved here. Now I have more relatives around and they all want to come see the zoo! Always nice to be able to share my really cool life with a few more people who appreciate the animal world!