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    I spent a little over five weeks in the field with Mike Loranty, but it feels like we left just last week. Time really does fly when you are having fun. Our days were packed with field work, lab work, good food, great conversations with incredible scientists, and creating new friendships through shared life experiences.

    Every day in Cherskiy we would share a big meal prepared by our wonderful cook, Lena, but the last night was special. Not because four of us were leaving the station the next day, but because it marked the birthdays of Sergey Zimov, who runs the Northeast Science Station (NESS), Sue Natali, one of the lead researchers from Woods Hole Research Center, and Mike Loranty. Lena and the Zimovs outdid themselves serving grilled sturgeon, caviar, and three different type of cakes for the birthday crew. The night was filled with laughter, good food, and music from more than one of the guests. Leaving the NESS was difficult for me because I had developed friendships with the people I worked with everyday. The Zimov’s treated us like we were part of the family in Russia, which made leaving bittersweet.

    Working in the field gave me a strong appreciation for the science I teach my students, however, and now that I’m back I am eager to share this experience with the students and staff of Cheektowaga Central Middle School in the upcoming school year.

    I’ll wrap up this post with some pictures of our last night at the NESS.

    Final Dinner at the Northeast Science Station

    Last Meal
    Grilled Sturgeon and Caviar on our final night in Cherskiy
    Dinner at Orbita
    Dinner in Orbita on the last night in Cherskiy
    Dinner at Orbita
    John Schade, Stan Skotnicki, and Sue Natali enjoying a last dinner at the Northeast Science Station
    Mike's birthday
    Mike Loranty receives a cake for his birthday
    Nikata and Stan
    Nikata Zimov and Stan Skotnicki celebrating a birthday feast
    Stan Skotnicki and Lena
    Stan Skotnicki and our wonderful cook, Lena, at the Northeast Science Station
    Future all stars
    Stan Skotnicki with the future all stars of Science: Corey Ruder, Homero Pena and Ana Tobio

    Date
    Weather Summary
    A lot different then Siberia - 88 degrees and high humidity

    Comments

    Judy Fahnestock

    WOW! That looks delicious! What a meal. It must have been hard to leave your new "family"in Russia but I bet your family back in Buffalo are happy to have you back! And you got to wrap things up with an 'interesting' return trip. How dull it will be to have a trip from A to B actually occur that way!

    Huy

    It's great that you had a great time, can't wait to hear more about this adventure later during the school year. How was the Sturgeon, that's a bizarre looking fish.

    Stanley Skotnicki

    Huy - That was quite possibly the best fish I ever had to eat, and yes they look like something completely prehistoric. They can be found in the great lakes as well. Thanks for following along. I'll catch up with you this fall at school.
    Skotnicki