It started short...
2005-06-09 - 2:11 p.m.

An email I sent to a potential future SCICON intern:

I decided to work here quite randomly. I graduated in Biology and Geology, but didn't want to do lab work. I wanted to have more interaction, and let me tell you that 6th graders give you that. Yes, a lot are rude/snotty/catty, but so many are such peaches (as Doc Holliday would say). SCICON is like education boot camp for interns. The hours are long, so you get emotionally and physically drained. You live, eat, and work with your coworkers allowing no escape when someone rubs you the wrong way. Things get tense, the kids get you sick from so many germs passing through, and then you have to cover for other people when they are absent without extra pay. Have I scared you yet? But SOMEHOW your patience and diligence enhances. You learn to create instantaneous friendships. You learn to work with others in stressful situations. You just become a better person. My experiences at SCICON will make me better at ANY future job I'll take. I used to be scared or future possibilities, but now I feel like I can do anything. Totally worth it.

Here's the low down on the living conditions. Can't believe I just said low down. Anyway, the rooms are AWESOME. It's like a little hotel room with a bed, tons of drawers/shelves, a sink and mirror. Plus the window looks out onto Bear Creek. The bathroom is shared with one other person. No prob. Two washer and dryers as well! The negatives include sharing one average sized fridge with NINE OTHER PEOPLE. Not pretty and even the pope and Big Bird would start arguing over space. The tiny little kitchen is painfully inconvenient, but the lounge area is pretty nice. No TV reception. The internet is at 28k, so checking email is a half hour affair atleast. I was an internet junkie, so that killed me. You share the internet and phone with NINE OTHERS as well. Oh! And if you want to talk on the cell phone you have to call people while hanging out in the parking lot since that's where reception works. It's a pain to communicate OUT of SCICON.

I would say that how great the year is depends on the other interns. If you work together and have a lot of humor, you'll walk away with lifetime friends and wonderful memories.

So overall SCICON is totally worth it. It's NOT easy; it's NOT Hollywood. It gives you wisdom and perspective, and every kid in the Porterville Walmart will recognize you and chase you like a celebrity. I impacted 8,000 kids this year. How many people can say that?

If you have any other questions, feel free to write! This email got really long! Whew!
Mel