A Bit About Bears

Today I read a few articles about bears in Glacier National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park and Yellowstone National Park via the Great Falls Tribune and I thought I would share them with you.

Study to research effect of climate change on denning

The short synopsis of this one is that the U.S. Geological Survey will study if the warmer temperatures caused by global warming are affecting when the bears go into hibernation for the winter.

Where are all the grizzly bears?

In this case, the wintry conditions in both parks are perhaps causing the bears to linger inside of their lairs a bit longer. As the days get longer and the temperatures warm up, they'll leave their dens. For some however, the departure from their dens may be as late as mid to late May.

Black bear season opens April 15

The last article is more of the reality situation of nature talking about the beginning of the hunting season for black bears. It's not my kind of activity, but there you go. Grizzly bears, conversely, are under protected status and, therefore, cannot be hunted.

All this talk of hibernation just makes me sleepy and especially on a day in Seattle where the skies are relatively gray compared with last week and it's wet...again. It also reminds me of the sweet scene from the Disney film where Flower the Skunk asks Bambi, "Is it spring yet?" Nope, not quite yet.



A bit more on bears can be found on the detailed Wikipedia page - Bears.

Free Range Kids

I love this blog called Free Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy. Her most recent post is "Up With Recess! (And Down with Homework)" and it talks about the added value of giving kids more time to play. For me, it's a practical blog with tips for making sure that your children, and adults for that matter, get outside and not be fearful of living.


It's a great pairing with the book by Richard Louv called Last Child in the Woods (Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder). His website is The Future's Edge and I highly recommend checking it out too.




In late 2007, I attended a meeting for the ACA (American Camping Association) and was yet again inspired by wonderful stories about how spending a week or a summer at a day camp or residential camp can really change lives. Both the campers and the counselors learn a lot about themselves, nature and about life. I wrote about that meeting here. I think it's critical for anyone interested in the outdoors to share their experiences with children and young people. There is more to life than TV, video games or Facebook.



If you are interested in working with kids and sharing your knowledge, please check out the Camp Jobs page. There are so many wonderful summer camps around the United States, each with a different focus like business, the performing arts, religion, outdoor recreation, some co-ed and some just for girls or boys, but they all have a significant impact on children. If you're still not sure what you want to do this summer and don't want to work at a resort, check out the camps. It may be the best summer job you ever have.

Working in the U.S.

We get a lot of inquiries from people living abroad who would like to work a summer or winter in the U.S.

In order to work for the employers listed on Cool Works, you will need to have the appropriate work visa. Most of the foreign workers who work temporarily in the U.S.are foreign students and have a J-1 visa.

The J-1 Visa

There are twelve different categories of the J-1 Visa. The three most common categories for foreign workers who work for the employers listed on Cool Works are:
* The Work & Travel Visa - allows foreign students to work in the U.S. for four months in guest service positions.
* The Camp Counselor Visa - Allows foreign students to work at a summer camp as a camp counselor.
* The J-1 Trainee Visa - allows foreign students and professionals to train with a U.S.-based host organization for up to 18 months.The qualifications for these visas vary depending on your country of residence.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: It is best to contact an agency and begin the process of obtaining your work visa BEFORE you apply to any employers listed on Cool Works. Most employers prefer that you are already working through an agency.

All J-1 work visas require you to be a full-time university student or within 6 months of graduation.

Other Temporary Work Visas for the U.S.

The H2-B and Q-1 visas are also available to both students and non-students seeking temporary employment in the U.S.

* The H-2B Visa - Allows students and non-students to work as temporary or seasonal non-agricultural workers in the U.S. for up to 10 months. H-2B workers are able to return for multiple seasons year after year. Companies must be labor certified by their state Labor Department and the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in order to offer the H-2B visa.
* The Q-1 Visa – Allows temporary workers to share the history, culture and traditions of their home country with the American public for up to 15 months. Typical jobs include performing in a show featuring the participant's local culture at an amusement park. Both students and non-students are eligible for the Q-1 visa.

There are many sponsoring agencies you can contact to begin the process of obtaining your Visa. There are costs involved, and Cool Works recommends that you check with the different agencies to find the one that best fits your needs.