The unexpected nature of working in the fields. You never really quite have one particular job site, so an office is out of the question. It requires a fair amount of driving but I love the time I get to think while I drive. The one thing I can say is that is much different than the academic beast. Although the hours are tough the work is seemingly easy when you enjoy what you do.
What I wish was different
I wish I had a much better ability to speak multiple languages. In the fields you deal with individuals who speaks dialects from their native lands. For example I always struggle to communicate with a bi lingual Mexican Foreman from Oaxaca. He spoke Spanish and a dialect native to his home. This made for a very difficult route of communication as we both struggle to understand one and other. I wish I could have been able to communicate with him better and maybe get to know more about him.
Advice
Life is a team game, without others you cannot win. You really don’t know how much you need a hand until your but is in the ground !
