I am unearthed, and no longer scared

I have returned from my adventure in the wilderness of Nebraska!! It was, in a word, AMAZING. Highlights include:

1. I killed a rattlesnake. It was in camp and we think someone had accidentally run over its tail end, so it couldn't slither away or rattle. Another girl at the camp almost stepped on it, and she is 8 months pregnant. In other words - it had to be put down. As a trophy I gutted it and kept it to skin. Terrifying? Yeah, but its really kind of awesome.
2. I led the backfilling of the archaeological site brigade. Each year the units are covered up to prevent erosion from occurring, and I happen to be a whiz with a shovel. My nickname at camp? The human backhoe. Ok, I really don't like that nickname I'll admit, but I totally got the job done.
3. A boy I met from last year, Jeff, and I found some new animal trackways. About 36 million years ago giant mammals roamed the area and left their imprints in the sandstone. These were preserved, and the area is famous for its animal trackways. So on a hike together, Jeff and I found two sets of new animal trackways from 36 million years ago that had never been found. We are going to be in 2 publications for a paleontological symposium in the spring!! Talk about boosting the CV....
4. Seeing Seancy. He came up to Keystone I'm sure just to see ME, and we had a good time. Especially this crazy guy we met outside a bar in Breck. The kid apparently had WAY too much to drink, and when we asked where a food place was, he responded "i don't speak english any more". It was hilarious.
5. ILANA!!! I had a LOVELY time with Miss Ilana Grace!! It was amazing. I also hung out with Pun'kin which is pretty awesome!!!!

I also went hiking almost everyday and just had a glorious time being outside. The campsite lost water at the end, which was a pain, but I dealt.

Speaking of water - the geologist/paleontologist at the site was telling me something that just made me SO angry. There is a uranium company that drills in the area. Old science has said that the uranium they are drilling for is safely tucked between two impermeable rock faces. Unfortunately, apparently the uranium has gotten loose, and made its way into a water supply. The water feeds directly into a nearby Sioux reservation. A nurse at a local hospital noticed a large number of Sioux people coming in with uranium poisoning. She took notes on this, and kept the data in her home. After a lawsuit was filed, her home mysteriously burned down with all of the data in it. The geologist/paleontologist at the site has been asked to testify, as he and his wife have the most up to date information on the rock formations there. His data proves that the uranium is indeed in the water supply, and it is a direct cause of the uranium drilling. As if this isn't terrible enough, it is essentially career suicide. The college he works with in Chadron said that if he testifies, he will pretty much be fired. The overall outlook of many (*not all) of the people in this area is that it doesn't matter, its just a bunch of natives that are getting hurt by the uranium.

Hearing this made me almost vomit. I couldn't believe it. I was so disgusted by the whole viewpoint and everything I had to go for a walk after talking to him. Are there still Americans that are HONESTLY that racist? They are people too, and I can't BELIEVE that whole situation. Haven't we done enough to the Native Americans??? If you do NOT agree with me on this point, don't post anything until you've read "Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown. Then we'll talk. The whole thing just made me realize that even if I NEVER return to Kenya or anything, there is enough that needs to be done right here in my own country that I'll be busy until the day that I die.

Anyways. Soap box is out of here.

On another revolutionary-type note...AIESEC US. Wow. I honestly don't know what to say about the whole thing (non-AIESECers - sorry). I am so unbelievably proud of my fellow AIESECers that risked everything to try to change something they believed in. I am on one hand jealous of the change agents they are and on the other hand, super happy I am no longer an LCP. Definitely some mixed emotions. No matter what, good job to all of you.