When you’re almost (but not quite yet) a Field Guide
Those magic moments when an EcoTraining course reaches the final stages
I remember the exact moment. We had just pulled back into camp after an evening game drive, ideally hosted by a fellow student, when the instructor said: “That’s it, guys, this was your final practice run. All the best for your tests!” We were about to become Field Guides, but there were final hurdles. What remained, I knew, was a series of tests to be completed, building up to that final and all-important assessment game drive. What also remained – and that, I didn’t know – were hamburgers and a few cocktails, in a moment of intense camaraderie. The most memorable week of my life? Here’s what happened.
The tests
Already, reaching assessment week brought a proper sense of achievement. Our group had just finished a month of practical Field Guide training, which created a very special bond between us. We faced two major tests: the open-book exam (prepared throughout the course but now up for final evaluation) and the dreaded ‘sights & sounds’ test. The latter is the final theoretical challenge on a course, and in that test, we are expected to see (on pictures) or hear (in sound clips) what’s what, out of an impressive collection of:
– 40-odd mammals
– as near as makes no difference, 60 birds
– a few dozen arthropods
– the same number of reptiles and amphibians (including frog and toad calls)
– alarm calls (a crucial one for any Field Guide)
– seven different grasses, several plants, and flowers
– and thirty (yes, you read that right: 30!) different trees
Just writing that list now boggles the mind at how much the ace instructors have taught us. If anyone had told us before the course that we would be taking this test confidently, we wouldn’t have believed a single word. But here we were: in the Pridelands lecture room, focused like a leopard stalking prey. And guess what? We aced it!
I studied more for this test than I ever did in my education or professional career. The pride I felt on passing flying colours will remain with me for a long time. Now, we only have final assessment drives to look forward to. But our group wouldn’t have been our group without the need for a little celebration. Because next to all the learning, that also makes an EcoTraining practical, such a unique experience!
The Celebrations
Every group celebrates passing tests in its way. For our bunch, it had become clear over the past few weeks: we were going OUT! I don’t think Suave nightclub or buzzing music festival, though: we were going out, guide-style!
The excitement in Pridelands was buzzing. Everyone had passed, and our assessment drives would start the very next day, so that evening, we wanted to show the local town of Hoedspruit that we were about to become proper guides! Everyone emerged from shower rooms and tents dressed in the smartest-looking vellies and the crispest khaki shirts we could find, and off we went with our instructors in the trusty open vehicles. This time, it is not for a game drive but for evening dinner outside Pridelands’ gates.
Let’s be honest: Hoedspruit is not precisely known for rivalling London or Cape Town on a fancy night out, but this evening felt like the Academy Award ceremony for us. Parking game drive vehicles in front of the restaurant, having people watch us while we ‘took the stage’ in our stunning-looking guiding gear, we felt larger than life. There were burgers, French fries (well, take it from me: they’re Belgian) and perfectly served drinks (out of actual glasses, we hadn’t seen those in a while!). And most of all, there were so many warm smiles and laughter. I remember looking around that table and thinking: “Wow… this is such an unbelievable group of people! All from different backgrounds, from all over the world, but this is a night we’ll share for the rest of our lives.”
The past four weeks, we have worked so hard and studied so much. Sometimes we had to support and comfort each other in a difficult moment. There were many more times when we silently shared the most amazing sightings and adventures in the bush. There had been hugs, there had been banter. Some of us would turn our upcoming qualifications into a career. Others would use the acquired skills to enjoy their bush holidays more than ever. But in that little restaurant, it all fell into place at that very moment.
I waved at the waiter for extra drinks, and as he walked up to our table past a tree, someone asked: “Hey, isn’t that a Natal Mahogany?” Yup, we were about to become field guides!
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35-Day Field Guide Practical l Course Spotlight
Today we join EcoTraining students Debbie, Maurice and Stephane at Pridelands. They started their journey with EcoTraining by enrolling and completing their Online Field Guide course, and then decided to come and do their practical component. They came together at Pridelands, where they started their 35-day Field Guide Practical course, thrilled with the real-time experiences and incredible wildlife sightings one can only have when in the field.
