We shuffled through endless lines and checkpoints to sit in a cramped metal tube for hours with strangers. After what seemed an eternity with crying babies and snoring neighbors, we finally landed. Stepping off of the plane, we came into an arid oasis—a melting pot of mingling cultures and languages, greeting us with open arms. Before me was the juxtaposition of ancient architecture overlaid with urban development and modernization. A place at once instantly recognizable and yet completely alien—welcome to Tel Aviv, Israel.
My name is Derrick Maltman. I am a junior studying Captive Wildlife Care & Education with a minor in Zoology at Unity College, and this my blog about my summer 2013 internship placement at the Tel Aviv Zoological Gardens and Safari Park in Tel Aviv, Israel. Over the course of this blog I hope to take you on a journey of personal growth and experience as I put the knowledge and skills that I have learned at Unity to good use in the Predator Department of the Tel Aviv Zoological Gardens.
This is both my first internship with a zoo and my first time writing a blog, and my goal is to provide readers with a look into what I will be doing during my summer here, working at the Tel Aviv Zoological Gardens and exploring the country and culture of Israel.
I would like to use this first entry to give you a little background on myself, and how I got the internship:
- I was born into a military family and have moved nearly every four or five years
- I have lived in Ohio, Texas, Kansas, Kentucky, Germany, and now Israel
- I have a sister who goes to Unity College as well and studies Wildlife (love you sis!)
- I thought about getting an internship in Israel because my parents just moved here
- I simply contacted the Safari Park via email and asked if they did internship placements, they said yes so I sent them my resume
- I am currently working in the Predator Department surrounded by amazing animals
- I will be in Israel writing and posting on my blog until approximately mid to late August
If you would like to hear more about my internship this summer, keep checking back as I will be making new posts on a regular basis. Also please be sure to share this page with your friends and family. If you are thinking about coming to Unity College or want to learn more, be sure to check out the College’s website. If you have any questions for me about this blog, you can post them in the comments section and I will do my best to answer them. From time to time, I may even ask readers questions that will help make this blog better, and I will start with one today:
What animal or animals do you most want to see pictures of from the safari? Please write your answers in the comments box below. If we have the animal here I will do my best to take pictures and post them on the blog.
Until next time.
Derrick in Tel Aviv 