My first professional experience happened during my undergrad, in 2006, with the Humpback Whale Institute in Praia do Forte, Bahia. As an intern for the environmental education team, I took on a wide range of duties, from delivering the education program with community youth to photo-identifying whales, and from acting in a theater play about whale migration to assisting in the whale-watching tours.
Work was challenging, exciting and rewarding. Physical exhaustion from day-long field cruises and endless demands on shore were eclipsed by the joy of being part of something meaningful and special: saving the whales.
Yes. One of the most ancient cries in the environmental movement was a crucial part of my own history as a conservation advocate. And even though the challenges faced by cetaceans (and those working on their behalf) were different in the early 2000s, a similar feeling of hope and commitment permeated our days at the Institute.
That internship in 2006 led to a second internship in 2007, this time as the environmental educator responsible for the temporary scientific base located in Itacaré, another reproductive site for Humpbacks located further south in the state. My role now involved other responsibilities, such as managing the budget for the base, and being a community liaison for the Institute.
My experience with the Humpback Whale Institute, and my dedication to furthering their conservation and educational goals, led to an invitation to apply to what became my first 'proper job'.
In 2010 I was hired as an environmental educator back in Praia do Forte, and remained in the position until 2012, when I decided it was time to search for other challenges and opportunities.
I am extremely grateful for my time both as an intern and as a staff member at the Humpback Whale Institute. It had certainly taught me much more than marine conservation. As with many other NGOs with scarce human and financial resources, we had to be creative and resourceful to achieve institutional and personal conservation objectives. The privilege to be at sea, close to the gentlest giants, also fueled my love for marine conservation - which has only grown bigger ever since. ♡
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