Some Good news, Some Bad news

Good news first...

We talked to one of our people in the field today, who has found many more chicks than were expected for this time of year and project. We have the potential to triple how many chicks may be able to be fleged from this compared to last year.

Now the bad news. The good news means that I am going to be sent out into the field for what looks like more than a month straight, which means that I will have no ability to send emails, or keep updating this blog every week. My director, Toa, has aggreed to print out my emails and bring them to me, as he will be in town much more often, I just have no way to send replies. If anything comes up and you really need to get a hold of me, I have gotten our administrator´s email, and she lives in La Paz. Emergency-wise, this is the only way to contact me, as I will have to check in with her each day via my two-way radio for instructions and updates. Send an email to: alisoruco@gmail.com in the case of an emergengy, with the words ¨Chris Duke Urgent Message Emergency¨ in the subject. She speaks English perfectly well, and will understand. As soon as she reads it, she will send a plane to come and get me, and I can be leaving the field on the same day. I have a limited ability to dictate updates to her from me once a week, and she will send a general email to my family to let them know I am okay. I have been promised one other return to Trinidad before I leave in December, and I will be sure to write several posts here to catch everyone up. I am sorry about this, it was unexpected, but there is really no other way.

Enough depressing news. As I said, I will still be able to get my emails delivered to me, so please feel free to write, it is wonderful to hear from you, I just won´t be able to respond for a while. You have my word that I will return each and every one of my emails as soon as I can, and that I will have all of you in my thoughts. Until then, amigos...

-Chris
Trinidad, Beni province
Bolivia