We are in the John Crow Mountains of Portland Parish, Jamaica, resting after a walk through a crystal clear river to Reach Falls.

One of the compelling aspects of how ASCEND accomplishes its mission is the use of volunteers in combination with professional staff to accomplish ongoing sustainable programs. ASCEND offers volunteers the chance to participate in short-term expeditions of 1-2 weeks, or longer-term internships / fellowships of 2-18 months.

I'm heading to California on Sunday, to Sacramento, to be exact. I'll be there until roughly the first week of June, working for an IT company owned by some friends of mine (what, we've all got to pay the bills, yo.).