Time flies at Wolf Camp. This is one of the conclusions a previous intern and I came to during one of our light-hearted conversations over an easily prepared dinner in the cookshed. How time truly did fly. Even in the dead of winter, when the snow seemed to fall for an eternity, the months just melted away. Now, with May fast approaching, and with the knowledge that my time with my new found four-legged friends is limited, I can't help but feel a little nostalgic toward my experiences as a winter intern here at WERC.

My first few days as an intern, I must say, were quite overwhelming. I needed to acclimate to a whole new lifestyle for my stay here. From living in an insulated wall tent with a kerosene lamp as my only light source and a small potbelly stove to keep me warm at night, to cooking all my food on a propane stove, and living without running water, electricity, and plumbing; everything I did was a new experience! One night, with my stove starting to heat my tent, and the glow of my kerosene lamp casting shadows on the walls, I lay in my sleeping bag, and began to ask myself a multitude of questions. "Did I make the right decision to come here?" "What was I thinking? Am I crazy?" Little did I know that soon I would know the answer to those questions.

On day one of training, after Jeremy gave me the rundown of proper behavior around the wolves, I was faced with yet another set of self-induced questions before I went to meet Piyip and Motoki, the remaining members of the Sawtooth Pack. When we kneeled down at the fence to greet, and I saw both Piyip and Motoki walking up the hill, all questions escaped my mind in an instant. One quick hand lick from Piyip, and the opportunity to look into Motoki's gentle brown eyes, and I knew I was supposed to be here. I knew it was all worthwhile once I realized I was going to be spending the next few months with an animal that has fascinated me for years.

Being here almost four months, living in camp quickly became second nature, and the wolves of the Sawtooth and Owyhee packs never fail to surprise me with new behaviors and the attributes of their incredibly different personalities. They are an inspiration to me, and every day they remind me why I'm here, through the difficult living conditions that come with a harsh winter. Their haunting, yet soothing howl has acted like a natural alarm clock, one that I will definitely miss. This internship has greatly exceeded my expectations, and I was able to gain so much knowledge and experience from both wolves and staff.

As I sit in my warm tent, I think about the person I was on my first day, and how much I've changed since then. I find when I walk out of the gate for the last time, I will walk out a stronger, more independent individual, with a new wealth of knowledge, and a collection of new friendships, both human and wolf, that I won't soon forget and hope will last a very long time.

Where ever this opportunity may take me in life, I will never forget where I started.

Lindsay Rasmovich, Winter/Spring 2009 Intern