Day One, March 23 -- Arrival and Orientation

Today was our travel day, so it consisted mostly of our flight to Miami, which was just over two hours, and our car ride into the Keys, which seemed a lot longer than the flight with all the traffic. We lunched together at TGIFridays and then headed to Grassy Key. When we arrived at the Dolphin Research Center (DRC) we met our instructors and had a thorough orientation of what to expect on our visit.
We listened intently as our instructors described in great detail the emotions and behavior of the dolphins. The dolphins are the center of the Dolphin Lab experience, which means that they dictate the schedule. So basically, it's all about them! We learned that they like to hear their names and to be waved at, but not touched in the face. Our instructors Noelle, Hannah, and Doug made a delicious spaghetti dinner for us and we had the job to clean up after ourselves. The DRC is all about "no waste" and conservation, so we're being good stewards of the earth by not wasting food, recycling, and using little, if any, paper and plastic products. Our day ended with our first reflection led by Lauren and Jacqueline. We are excited to see what the Dolphin Research Center has in store for us tomorrow.