Expectations – met or not?

After a lot of e-mail contact before coming here we got different information and expectation of this place. We discussed that our focus will rather be on the newly set up Patch Forest Project biodiversity survey than on the analysis of the camera traps and all our expectations when coming here were basically met. We did biodiversity studies (with focus on birds, bats, mammals and bees) before and so we had a bit of experience. With a basic set up from WWCT we started the surveys in 2 of the 3 stations we worked at and were very much free in our decisions how to collect, process and analyse the data. To be fair, expectations are always different from what you will do eventually so of course there were also some difficulties in the beginning. Being confronted with choosing everything on your own and then getting feedback on your made decisions afterwards was new to us but it challenged us in problem-solving and strengthened our self-confidence. However, there was always the possibility for contact between Anjali and Andrew and us and regular discussion/feedback rounds in Colombo. They supported us with all materials we needed to fulfil our own research.