It`s a dirty job, but Christine Earley is glad she gets to do it.
Earley, of Mt. Hood, Ore., is one of 12 interns working at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe this summer, doing everything from planting and pruning to weeding and watering.
Internships, for college students and recent college graduates, last from three to 12 months.
”It doesn`t feel like work, because I`m doing something I love,” Earley said. ”Although I admit that weeding for four hours on a 90-degree day isn`t my idea of fun. The best part is learning from experts who are willing to share their knowledge so freely.”
Earley, who has a degree in biology, is more than halfway through her 4-month internship in prairie ecology. She hopes it will lead to a career in conservation and resource management.
”There`s so much to learn that it`s overwhelming at first. But by working here every day I`ve started to get a real grip on the gardening and restoration process.”
Birte von Somnitz of Namibia, or South-West Africa, is here for six months. ”I worked in a botanic garden back home and knew this program had a wonderful reputation,” she said. ”We`re not just used as plain labor, but treated as a team member by the curators.”
Interns live with nearby families, who provide housing in exchange for yard work, household chores and/or nominal rent.
For more on hosting interns, call Cynthia Baker at 708-835-8300.
