Arriving in Panama

Tropical ecosystems are cool. Even before I landed at Tocumen International Airport yesterday I got the sense that nature plays a completely different role in Panama compared to the UK. When you land at Heathrow, for instance, you see the airport itself, the urban sprawl and agricultural land surrounding it, and if you're lucky, a pretty good view of central London too. But when you land in Panama City, immediately surrounding the airport is tropical forest so dense it's almost black. I don't know anything about this patch of forest in particular, but it's probably home to a staggering number of plant and animal species, all interacting in a system much more complex and populous than any I'm used to from home. The prevalence of nature in Panama is also reflected in even the most unassuming locations: in the taxi to Gamboa, the small town where I'll be living for the next few months, an astonishing diversity of plants (I suppose you'd call them weeds) sprout from roadside verges, the sides of buildings and even cracks in the pavement. And once you're off the highway, rainforest looms over the road from both sides, and shadowy forms scamper and chatter within. That's not to mention the abundance of birds, in any colour you can think of, not just in Gamboa but also on telephone poles criss-crossing the highway. Geckos and ñeckes (agoutis) are everywhere. The climate here - hot and humid (no doubt some would describe it as completely intolerable) - seems to foster any and all forms of life, including the most delicious avocados and mangos I've ever eaten, grown from a tree in my landlady's garden. (It also makes for a very restless sleep if you choose not to keep the fan on all night - I will not be making that mistake again). And most importantly, the tropical climate (among other things) allows for the diversity of Heliconius butterflies, the organisms I'll be working on at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) whilst I'm here. So although I'm still getting used to it, I'm willing to be incredibly sweaty for the next few months if it means I get to experience all the wonders of the natural world.

My back garden

I've also realised quite how much work I have to do with my Spanish. Everyone has been wonderfully accommodating, but I really hope I can make a bit more headway with the language whilst I'm here. I am learning about all kinds of things whilst I'm here (sciencey stuff but also, like, how great hammocks are) so am very happy to add Spanish to the list.

More conclusions to come very soon. Later today I am being introduced to the butterfly stocks I'll be working with at STRI - very exciting.