"I'm a loner Dottie, a rebel..."

What do you do when you're fresh out of college, broke as a joke, and the student loan sharks are circling with the scent of unsubsidized promissory notes? Some may say "get a real job," and then proceed to live vicariously through Bear Grills, but I say nay. Leave the real world behind and become your own Bear.

For the next six months, I will be living in a tent in some of the most sparsely populated regions of southern Chile. During that time, I will be assisting scientist and volunteers in the re-establishment of wildlife communities decimated by ambitious sheep ranching. The emphasis is the preservation of two native species, the huemal deer and the puma. This conservation program was funded by Doug Tompkins.

Since the summer of 2008, I have known about Doug Tompkins, a top advocate of deep ecology, and the owner of large quantities of land dedicated to conservation in Chilean Patagonia. I learned of this interesting character from another interesting character named Wes Jackson. Wes is the founder of "The Land Institute," which is a perennial agriculture research center located in central Kansas. The first time I met him, he asked me what I wanted to do after I graduated. I, having only an inkling, replied that I wanted to visit South America for a while. Little did I know, Wes Jackson is kind of a big deal. People know him and he knows people. He began by telling me a story about Doug owning such vast amounts of land in Chile, that a dictator (I'm thinking Pinochet) would take his prisoners into the most remote areas and throw them out of helicopters. I mean, he really sold me on the place. Although a little intimidated, I still felt like that was my chance at traveling to South America. With a lot help from a former professor (whom I am indebted to), I began planning for what has now become a six month venture that ensues Tuesday September 22nd, 2009.

I have had a strange attraction to South America for sometime now. It must have been the years of Discovery Channel taunting me with the mysterious jungles, native peoples, and the ever lurking Chupucabra. The thought of becoming some sort of forest woodsman/jungle hermit is really quite attractive, and even more so now that I graduated. I graduated from Bethany College which is located in the most popular Swedish-American colony in Kansas let alone the U.S. I am a fellow swede myself. What does a recession mean to a swede? Everybody else is finally getting with the program. Full blood swedes have been pinching pennies for years. Good thing time is free.

Anyway, I will be making entries as often as possible, but I will only be near civilization a few times a month. I'm looking forward to my next entry. It should be pretty interesting.

From the perimeter of civilization
James Bowden