Eco-Isolation with EcoTraining

Jennifer Palmer is an impassioned wildlife biologist, global educator, public speaker, and one of the founders of Women for Wildlife. This is the story of how she “eco-isolated” during the Covid lockdown at one of EcoTraining’s bush camps in southern Africa.

“About five months ago, I was sitting alone on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, somewhere near Los Angeles, California. The rosy winter sun dipped beneath the expansive skyline of a vast, open sea while dolphins gently rode the waves near shore. Although the same salty air that always brings me a sense of calming filled the night’s shadow with midst, this particular evening brought a message that was no longer a whisper, it was a loud, clear instruction for me to take action in my life.

“I would say it was the infamous ‘call of Mama Africa’ returning to my soul. But in truth, that call has never left my side, not since the moment I first stepped foot onto African soil many years ago.

“The spirit of Africa holds an ancestral chord that is inexplicable, one that tugs your heartstrings with a deeper sense of belonging. The longing to walk the same paths as gentle giants and fall asleep to the sounds of the wild was no longer a faint fantasy, it was something that deep down I knew I absolutely needed to return to myself once more.

“Not everyone believes in a higher power. But for me, it felt like divine intervention when I left the beach that night and was compelled to check flights back to South Africa. My jaw dropped when I stumbled upon a round-trip ticket that was far cheaper than any of the monthly rentals I considering in southern California. I took a breath, I listened to my heart, I surrendered, and I bought the damn ticket. Two weeks later, I was en route to Mama Africa . . .”

Read the rest of Jennifer’s account of her sojourn with EcoTraining here.