Mississippi!

I'm working on my plan for the next part of my road trip and I am so, so excited because this part of the trip--which was completely unplanned until a few days ago--has so many really cool features.

I'm going to Mobile, AL from where I am now, then to Biloxi, MS, but mostly because these places are on the way to where I really want to go. After that, I'll be heading up to Jackson, MS (there's a zoo there) and then I'll be taking the Natchez Trace Parkway up to Tupelo, MS. It's an 8,000 year old path and commercial vehicles aren't allowed to drive on it. It's part of the national park system, so I'm pretty sure it will be awesome. (nps.gov/natr in case you're interested) There's a swamp on the way and I'm totally going to stop and walk through it.

Then, from Tupelo I will go to Oxford, MS. Where William Faulkner lived the last 30 years of his life!!!! Beyond excited! It's also where Ole Miss is, and their center for the study of southern culture, which I might check out since even though I'm not sure I'll ever do it, I'd like to find out more about their Master's program in Southern Studies. There's also a supposedly awesome independent bookstore that focuses on Southern writers. I. AM. SO. EXCITED.

From Oxford--if I can pull myself away--I will go to Memphis, TN to eat my weight in barbecue. THEN! (this just keeps being amazing!) I will followed the Mississippi River back down to New Orleans. I thought I was going to have to use my map and do this the old school way but it turns out that there is actually a guide that directs you along the roads to take you down the Mississippi. Mississippi River Experience! On my way down, I'll stop in Vicksburg, Natchez, and Baton Rouge, and probably Vacherie to go to Oak Alley Plantation since that place is so freaking picture perfect.

I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait.

I got an email about an internship at the Audubon Zoo, the curator telling me when he would be free to talk on the phone. I responded with when would work for me, asking him to tell me what would work best for him. No response for two days! SIR! EMAIL ME BACK! I've been checking my email compulsively. I want this internship so bad! It's with tigers, lions, and elephants! What a really cool experience! And in New Orleans. And it's August-November, so I would be done before Christmas and could come home. If I don't get it, though, I still think I'm going to try to move to New Orleans and start volunteering at the zoo since I need experience and that will at least be a start.

I keep thinking about the AZA conference in September and haven't made a decision about whether or not I'm going to go. I really want to and I think the networking potential would just be enormous, but it's expensive and in Atlanta which could be expensive to get to. I don't know.

Anyway! I'm excited. So very excited right now.

EDIT:
I hit post and then went to check my email and I got a response! Interview tomorrow at 4! Hooray!