Meet Ryan

Ryan is a volunteer who has been here with us almost a month. He's a 26-year-old Ohio native who spends 5 or 6 months of the year in Antartica studying the Southern Fur Seal. He also spends several months working in Alaska. During the remainder of the year, he travels around exploring the world. He has shared some spectacular pictures and videos of his adventures with us and our neighbors. He's been on every continent, getting to know the people of our world. He's slept in tents, base camps, strangers' ("new friends") homes, parks--you name it.

The trip everyone here seems most interested in is the one to Africa that included weeks "living" with the park ranger. Ryan has incredible close-up shots of giraffes, lions, elephants, zebras, and the list goes on. His photos have been a hit with the adults and children in this area, and they can't fathom that he's seen all these places in person.

Camille and Caroline have learned lots of neat science-y sorts of things, including why you'd glue a GPS monitor on a seal's head, and how to do it without getting bitten. We found a website that tracks these seals, monitoring their travels and even giving tons of information about the water they're swimming in.

Ryan has spent his time here helping neighborhood children with homework, doing yard work around the campground, assisting in the English classes, befriending the kids next-door, helping us paint the girls' room, and a million other things. The most important thing he's accomplished in his time here is teaching my daughters to make homemade cinnamon rolls. Oh, my goodness! They're ridiculously delicious. We'll miss Ryan when he leaves in a few days, and we hope he comes back to visit us again.

(Pictures after the click...)

Exploring Antonio's cerro (hill). Ryan is in the tree.

These were the best tasting cinnamon rolls on Earth. They were an instant hit with everyone and for "practice," another batch was needed.


Picking the pique out of his foot (sand flea that burrows and lays a big egg sac with about a hundred little guys inside)

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