Disaster Relief Efforts in Galapagos

With our study abroad programs cancelled, we are struggling to stay in business and depend on you more than ever. We are so grateful to those who have donated, spread the word, and participated in our fundraising efforts. A big thanks to UM alumni Carley Belanger and Sam Waddell for getting our first fundraiser started in May!

With your financial support, we have been able to donate basic 'food kits' to the families of the Galapagos initiative "Sustainable Isabela". These food kits, with staples like oil, rice, and lentils, are used by families in addition to the produce from their gardens.

In addition to providing 'food kits' for our families, we have also put together agricultural kits. These kits were donated to farmers in our sustainable agriculture program guarantee continuous local production and quality of local produce. The resulting produce is commercialized at the local outdoor food market in a continuous effort to ensure food security on the island.

This project is carried out in agreement with the Governing Council and the technical assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture.

You can be a part of it by signing up for a future trip (send us an email to hear about our great offers), you can donate, or simply spread the word! (@ioiabroad on social media)

GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, SOLD!

We're excited share our newest interactive fundraising campaign -- an ONLINE AUCTION!

Our team and our community came together to donate their time, expertise, art, and merchandise to help us raise money to stay open and support our communities. The auction has a variety of items, including online classes and experiences, art and jewelry, travel experiences, books, and more! There is something for everyone! 

The auction is OPEN and will close on JULY 29th. In the meantime, make sure you're following us on social media for daily updates and "staff picks"! 

With our fall study abroad semester cancelled, we are dependent on your donations. You can learn more about IOI's disaster relief efforts on our blog, in our latest newsletter, and on our COVID-19 response page.

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Quick Tips from IOI's EcoGarden

A big “thank you” to social media volunteer, Stefan Ascherl for these tips and photos!

As spring ends in the southern hemisphere, and approaches in the northern hemisphere, we'd love to share some quick gardening tips from our EcoGarden in Isabela Island, Galapagos. This garden, right outside of our IOI office, is used as a model for our urban farming program and for hands on activities/learning for children and adults!

What is an EcoGarden? It's gardening with the environment in mind - gardening sustainabily and with native plants. Interested in gardening, farming, and agriculture? Check out our sustainable farming and urban agriculture volunteer program!

Empty egg boxes are the perfect base for growing young plants!

Flowers are always appreciated, so we give them some space in our garden between all the green vegetables to give our garden a pop of color!

Although we don't encourage using single-use-coffee-cups, if there are any around, then use them to grow young plants like we do!

You can upcycle empty plastic bottles to grow plants in them. Just cut them in half and color them up!

Stay tuned TO our social media for your chance to win an IOI t-shirt with quick quizzes from our garden!

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Trekking to the Turtles

IOI volunteers join Galapagos National Park rangers and local community members on an exciting adventure to learn about sea turtle nest monitoring.
By Nicole Owens

Arriving to Barahona beach

IOI volunteers accompanied park rangers of Galapagos National Park, who traveled  from Santa Cruz Island, as well as some passionate local community members on a three day camping trip to learn about sea turtle nest monitoring.

The goal was to learn about green sea turtle nesting and how to gather useful information on their nesting habits to aid in conservation research. The green sea turtles are one of four species of turtle found in Galapagos.

Green sea turtles are endangered due to threats of habitat loss, predation and destruction of habitat due to introduced species (dogs, wild pigs etc), pollution and rising water temperatures. Over the past few decades, less and less of these marine animals have been arriving to nest on Galapagos shores, and national park researchers are hoping to identify the causes. In order to do so, they need more information. This information can be obtained by monitoring the turtles to obtain data such as the sea temperature, the location of the nest, the size of the turtle and the number of eggs laid.

Learning about turtle tracks, nests, and behavior

The volunteers and national park rangers embarked on a short boat ride to Barahona beach, a popular spot for turtle nesting, a few hours west from the town of Puerto Villamil. They brought lots of supplies to last all three days and set up camp just beyond the mangroves at the top of the beach.

The first afternoon, the park rangers took us on a walk down the beach, pointing out turtle tracks and helping us to identify whether the large pits in the ground were actual nests (usually with a large pile of fresh sand at the back to cover the eggs, and tracks coming and going in two different places), or just a body pit, a large hole dug by the turtle and then abandoned before nesting. They explained that the turtles usually leave a body pit if they decide the site is not suitable for nesting, generally due to the presence of vegetation, the temperature of the ground, or the density of the sand (too loose or too hard packed). The turtles can dig several body pits in one night, or loop around the beach and return to the ocean without digging anything at all. 

A park ranger from Galapagos National Park measuring the turtle after she’s laid her eggs

Turtles generally nest in the evening, so we went on late night and early morning walks (from about 10pm-12:30am and 5:30am-8am) to try to spot the tracks while they were fresh.  We wore dark clothes and used only red lights to avoid scaring the turtles, as they are unable to see the color red. We braved a steady rainfall and chilly winds the first night, but were rewarded with three separate turtle sightings. However, only one of them actually nested. We laid down at the edge of the nest, after the turtle had finished laying, to see into the cavity where the eggs were laid and counted all 83 of them! Then, park rangers measured the turtle and marked the nest with a stake. The rangers clipped a tag onto a less sensitive skin flap on the front flippers for tracking in the future. We returned to our tents drenched and covered with sand, but very excited by everything we’d gotten to see.

A park ranger gathering the bags of trash collected

The next morning, we woke before sunrise to go in search of more tracks. We spent the afternoon playing in the ocean and recovering on some much needed sleep. We spotted all kinds of marine animals, such as rays, turtles, pelicans, iguanas, and even an octopus! Later in the afternoon, we took a walk down the beach as a group to collect the plastic bottles and other garbage that had washed up on the shores of Barahona. We filled up at least seven large trash bags, and even found a refrigerator door! We went on a final monitoring walk that evening, before waking up bright and early to pack up camp and head home.

It was a very exciting trip and we learned a lot of new information about sea turtles, their behavior and their nesting. We hope to help maintain plentiful nesting sites on Barahona and the other Galapagos’ shores in the future, in order to allow these graceful marine animals to continue to play their vital role in the Galapagos and other marine ecosystems. 

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Volunteering with IOI in Galapagos: All ages welcome!

By: Michelle Warble

Volunteering with IOI in Galapagos: All ages welcome!

I was apprehensive about the IOI Galapagos volunteer program when I signed up. I knew I wanted to go somewhere and do my small part to make the world better than I found it. However, I thought that most of the people I would be volunteering with would be teenagers. As someone in their 40s, I didn’t know if I would be able to connect at all with anyone. I’m happy to say that I was very wrong. There are volunteers here from all parts of the world and of all ages. Love of travel and wanting to volunteer give us all common ground. I think the youngest volunteer to work in the program was 18 and the oldest was in their 70s. There are several different areas of volunteering. Here is more information on 3 of the 6 programs we offer in Galapagos. Stay tuned for more information on our other 3 programs!

Giant Tortoise Center

Activity Level: Medium to Difficult (walking, lifting, outdoor cleaning). Work can always be tailored to individual needs.

Dress Code: Long sleeves on feeding days, modest casual on other days (no spaghetti straps or short shorts).

More information: The tortoise center has the maximum level of activity. Each day, you walk 2 miles to the center and then spend the morning feeding the tortoises or cleaning their pens. You must be able to walk 7 km (4 miles) per day and be physically active for 4-5 hours. Most of your work will be in the shade, but some of the walking trail will be in the sun. Hours of work are to depart at 7:15 a.m. (it is a 30 minute walk) on feeding days, and 8 a.m. on non-feeding days. These volunteers typically arrive back to Isabela at 12:30 p.m. For the tortoise center, you walk on a path that takes you by ponds sometimes filled with pink flamingos, ducks and iguanas. Most of this path is shaded by mangrove trees.

Helpful hints: On feeding days, wear long sleeves that can get dirty and may be stained from the food. Other days, short-sleeved shirts are ok. You will be interacting with tourists, so make sure to dress in a somewhat modest fashion (no tank tops or spaghetti straps). Sleeveless tops are ok.

A nesting turtle returning to the ocean after laying eggs.

Turtle Nest Monitoring

Activity Level: Medium (only walking, no lifting)

Dress Code: Modest Casual

More information: Turtle nest monitoring isn’t as strenuous as the tortoise center, but does require walking 18 km (11 miles) per day, sometimes in the morning sun. This is also sometimes at high tide, where you are walking in very wet sand. It also requires a different schedule with an early morning shift (usually 6 a.m.) and a night shift that can start any time from 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

Helpful Hints: Dinner is something to plan ahead of time, since the hours differ from the other volunteers. You will be walking in the water at times, so plan to wear shorts or quick-dry trousers. You will also need a full water bottle for the watch, since it is very humid and you might be sweating a lot. For the turtle monitoring, you walk along the beach with the sounds of the ocean waves and sea birds. In the morning, you can watch the sun rise and at night, you can see the stars of the Milky Way.

Social Media

Activity Level: Low to Difficult-As much or little as you would like! The activity level can be relatively low, so this would be a good choice for someone who is looking for volunteer work that is not as physical.

Dress Code: Casual (No short shorts or spaghetti strap tops) The social media team spends their days walking around the area, taking photos, writing blogs, interviewing community members and other volunteers, and attending local events!

Helpful hints: As a social media volunteer, you can do any or all of the above to document the experience. In addition, you are encouraged to participate in other activities to document the experience. This can range from culinary adventures to fun after volunteering activities - like snorkeling, hiking or bike riding!

We hope this inside scoop on our programs (from the eyes of a volunteer) are helpful and we look forward to sharing more! Please be sure to reach out with any questions or hesitations you may have. We'd love your help in Galapagos!

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Fall Break stories and adventures

ITINERARY 1: CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN

By Claire Griffin, Study Abroad Student Fall 2019

As all 12 of us piled into the small vessel responsible for transporting us across the rough seas of the archipelago, we waved goodbye to our Isabela for the week. It did not take long to start missing our little town, especially in the comparatively huge and modern metropolises awaiting us in Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. We constantly joked about our case of micro-culture shock: “Are these roads ALL paved? Is that a multi-story building? Oh god A SUSHI RESTAURANT?!? We’re in Las Vegas!”

Our first 4 days of the journey took place in San Cristobal. Disoriented by the deceptively complex street layout (to be fair, anything more extensive than Isabela’s one main road feels complex these days) and a dwindling internet connection, we immediately got lost searching for our hostel. After moaning, groaning, and sweating under the weight of our bags, we finally arrived to our little slice of home at the hostal de Consuelos Gil. Unbeknownst to us, the Gils who owned the cozy casa were of the very same tree as the Gils in Isabela, whose members house a number of IOI students; as a result, we were practically staying with family! The following days were filled with souvenir shopping, exploring, and lots and lots of delicious food. One of our excursions included a beautiful drive through Cristobal’s highlands, with stops at a volcano crater and a tortoise breeding center, and ended at a pristine little beach (“Puerto Chino”) on the opposite side of the island. Even more exciting about San Cristobal was that we had the opportunity to meet up with other University of Miami students studying biology abroad at the island’s college (ran by University of Quito). It was great being shown around by a few familiar faces!

We spent one day in Cristobal scuba diving at Kicker Rock, also known as “The Sleeping Lion” in Spanish, with a great company called Gustavo’s Fishing Adventures. The topography of Kicker Rock was impressive alone, but the rich diversity of marine life complementing the rock’s elaborate underwater walls left us all in awe. Huge bait balls, hammerheads, barracuda, Galapagos sharks, manta rays, and more. The dive crew took great care of us both under and above-water (is there anything better than Oreos post-dive?), even adding an extra stop on a small remote island where a naturalist crewmember showed us around and told us about the local flora and fauna.

After our time in Cristobal, we headed to Santa Cruz for three days. We quickly discovered a new favorite spot on the island, the Santa Cruz Brewery, whose variety of house-made brews, board games, and amazing fajitas kept us coming night after night. When our group wasn’t dining or shopping, we were diving the amazing sites around Santa Cruz, including North Seymour and Gordon Rocks. Some only did one of the sites, some did both, but all had an amazing time. The most memorable moment in my dive experience was what we deemed “underwater rock climbing” at Gordon Rocks, and it looked exactly as it sounds. The undercurrent was so strong that day that we all had to tightly grip onto the site’s rocky wall to stay together, especially when we moved locations. The result was an activity akin to scaling a rocky cliff - if that rocky cliff were surrounded by fish, turtles, and the occasional shark!

Break ended with a cheerful and much-needed return to Isabela. While the week was full of adventures we’ll remember forever, we all agreed that none of the other islands compared to our very own “Queen Izzy” and its charming town, Puerto Villamil.

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ITINERARY 2-5: TALES FROM A LIVE ABOARD, FAMILY IN GALAPAGOS

Kaylie Anne Costa

“Welcome aboard the Galapagos Master! During fall break I stayed on a diving liveaboard exploring the Galapagos archipelago. We began our journey in San Cristobal. Two amazing dives at Baltra and a land visit to Seymour island where we saw frigates, boobies, land iguanas, and much more started the trip off with a bang. Then we headed to Darwin and Wolfe Islands, home to the largest shark biomass in the world. From endemic tiny nudibranchs, to schools of hammerheads, to safety stops with whale sharks, these two islands were more than a dream come true. …Oh and we also saw a pod of orcas. So cool! Next we sailed to the north end of Isabela island to Punta Vicenta Roca. We descended about 100 feet into dark, murky water and waited patiently. All of a sudden out of the dark blue emerged a mola. It came towards us and swam above us, right through our bubbles. That very same day we dove with the world famous marine iguanas of the Galapagos. The males dive down about 15ft and munch on the nutritious green benthic algae. We finished the trip with two more beautiful dives near Santa Cruz Island, then I raced the clock to make it onto the ferry to return in time for school the next day on Isabela. Best week ever!”

Meagan Ando

“During my fall break, I sailed for 7 days on the Reina Silvia liveaboard across the western route of the Galápagos Islands with my parents, who flew down from Jacksonville FL. We sailed from Santa Cruz to Floreana island, where we snorkeled, visited post office bay, and hiked up to the highlands. From there we travelled to Punta Moreno and Elizabeth Bay on the western side of Isabela Island, where we snorkeled with marine penguins. We visited Fernandina Island, where we spotted two Mola-mola, 2 Brydes whales, and got to snorkel with marine iguanas! We then travelled around the northern part of Isabela island and around to Santiago, crossing the equator twice. In Santiago, we hiked through a Frigate bird nesting site and a sea lion nursery and even got to snorkel with White tip sharks!! Then, my family visited my host family in Puerto Villamil and stayed for 2 days, in which we biked to the Wall of Tears and walked to the Tortoise Breeding Center!”

Max Braun

“For my fall break, I met my parents on San Cristobal to get on a liveaboard for a tour around the eastern islands of the Galápagos. We went to Española, Floreana, Santa Cruz, Santiago, and Genevesa. Some of the highlights of the trip involved diving in Floreana and Santa Cruz, seeing nesting albatrosses in Española, and seeing all three species of native boobies (Blue Footed, Red Footed, and Nazca) plus the rare Galapagos Short Eared Owl on Genevesa. It was a great way to see the eastern islands of the archipelago, and I was glad that my parents got to enjoy this special place with me.”

Agatha Freedburg

“For fall break, my parents came to visit me. I met them on Santa Cruz on Monday the 21st. The next morning we hiked to a place called Las Grietas, a picturesque ravine that you could snorkel in. I saw huge parrotfish and a moray eel! In the afternoon, we went to El Chato to walk through a 400 meter long lava tunnel and collapsed craters. Also while in Santa Cruz, we hiked the trail to Tortuga Bay and explored more of Puerto Ayora. After a few days there we returned to Isabela, where I introduced my parents to my host family, which was super cute! Later that same evening, we went to Sam’s restaurant for dinner with a couple friends, then to Uku Lounge for live music. On their last full day in the Galapagos, I took my parents along the boardwalk to the tortoise breeding center, then gave them a tour of Puerto Villamil. Later we met up with the entire group, most of whom had just returned from their fall break in Santa Cruz, at our favorite beachside bar.

My favorite part of fall break was when we went to North Seymour Island and saw many frigates, iguanas, boobies, lava lizards, and sea lions. We found booby nests and even saw part of the booby mating dance.”

We're back!

By Claire Griffin, Study Abroad Student Fall 2019

Welcome back to IOI’s blog!

Pardon the hiatus in posts; our group is just coming back from a jam-packed fall break, during which my internet connection went from abysmal to nonexistent. But we’re back and better than ever!

Picking up from where we left off, our class with Dr. Drennan ended with some amazing field trips and a number of interesting projects. We spent several days surveying the popular snorkel spot Concha de Perla, using waterproof data tables to document species diversity within the estuary.

We later embarked on a day long boat ride to the remote and beautiful western side of Isabela, where the wildlife was like nothing we had ever seen. Right off the bat, we had the rare and fantastic chance to see Galapagos’ wild orcas. The duo gave us a fantastic show, hunting and breaching amidst a huge flock of birds, and to our delight even came right under the boat to check out the 16 squealing humans on its bow. While topping orcas is near impossible, the day progressed with a number of other magical encounters: Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, pelicans, blue footed boobies, frigates, albatross, sea turtles, sea lions, iguanas, and even an elusive Bryde’s Whale!

Also within these past two weeks: the 10th anniversary of IOI’s inception! We celebrated with an all-day fiesta in the highlands, inviting the whole community out to enjoy all varieties of food, artisan goods, games, competitions, farmers markets, live music, and tournaments in soccer and volleyball. Most exciting, however, was the launch of a novel local agricultural program called “Maria Rosa.” This groundbreaking program creates a network for local farmers, referred to as “Red de Producción y Consumo Local,” to market their goods to local restaurants and businesses, and in addition provides courses on sustainable farming practices. Maria Rosa thus aims to be an emblem of local production and sustainability paving a bright future for Isabela and the community.

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The course finished with individual presentations on 16 endemic species here in the Galapagos. Each student conducted extensive research on their chosen species and presented on its geographic and ancestral origins, its speciation within the Galapagos, and its potential adaptations to and/or risks faced during periodic El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. I chose the Galapagos sea lion, and despite a heavy workload I genuinely enjoyed learning about the history and ecology of this charismatic species. Other project topics included everything from ferns to owls to iguanas, and everyone had a great time presenting on their chosen species!

After a tear-filled farewell to Dr. Drennan, we all set out on our various adventures. 12 of us stuck together to explore the other two main islands (San Cristobal and Santa Cruz), while the other 4 reunited with family members visiting from the US to then set off on their own expeditions, several embarking on weeklong cruises that explored the entire archipelago. Check out my next post (that’s right, you’ll be getting TWO in ONE WEEK!) to read student testimonials from both the 12-person trip and each of the individual trips. We’ll explore the myriad of adventures that Galapagos has to offer, and hopefully provide some insight for future Miami students and IOI participants planning their own excursions!

 Until next time,

Claire Griffin

Birthday Celebration, Start of a New Class, and Isabela Experiences!

By Claire Griffin, Study Abroad Student Fall 2019

Hello all!

Where did I leave off last? I believe it was Thursday’s stunning snorkel fieldtrip to Isla Tortuga. The island itself was a marvel: layers of stone jutting out of the sea in beautiful twists and folds, dotted with iguanas and all types of seabirds. Waves of bright blue water sprayed through its caves and blasted against its cliffs, while below the surface huge schools of fish darted among a city of corals, craters, and clefts.

Over the weekend I was lucky to celebrate my birthday here in paradise, surrounded by close friends both new and old. I could not express my utter joy and appreciation in words as what felt like the entire island cheered for me at the stroke of midnight while out on Friday. I spent the first day of my 22nd year learning to surf, snoozing on the beach, hunting down the best pizza on the island, and spending time with my host family.

As an additional birthday delight, BisCaydence (the University of Miami a cappella choir I’ve been in for a years) released its first professional album, “Blue Horizon,” on Spotify Friday. The group, which I consider to be a second family (or third now, when including my beloved hosts here in Isabela), is undoubtedly what I miss most from Miami; as such, the music has become my go-to homesickness remedy.

To everyone’s great excitement, the beginning of this week marked the start of our course with Dr. William Drennan. Touching on everything from climate to geography to botany to governance, Drennan’s course encourages us all to engage in thoughtful discussion and be more mindful of the world around us.

Tuesday involved a long, green bike ride from the base of Sierra Negra volcano (which we will be hiking up later on in the program) back to town, with stops along the way to observe transitions between different climate zones and their associated plant life. Drennan noted that it’s getting more and more difficult to differentiate the distinct subzones within the highlands (grouped together as the “Humid Zone”) as the invasive species introduced for agricultural purposes further their reach. Still, the rich vegetation and stunning views made the long and arduous bike ride worth it!

Until next time, Claire Griffin

Weekends as a study abroad student

After a Thursday and Friday spent toiling on final projects for Social Ecology, students made the most of their second free weekend in Isabela; highlights included all varieties of water sports, intense tournaments of ultimate frisbee, hiking in the highlands, and continued exploration of our beautiful home in Puerto Villamil.

On Saturday morning, UGalapagos participated in an archipelago-wide cleanup: locals and IOI volunteers united, fanning out across the island and surrounding waters to collect all forms of pollution and debris. By the end of the day, Isabela teams had collected over 448 kg of trash!

Me and my “mom” Ruth!

Every Sunday is “family day” for study abroad students, who take time out of their week to bond with the beloved host families of IOI. This past Sunday I was lucky to spend the day with my “madre” Ruth Gomez and her extended family up in the highlands.

We hiked the beautiful Sierra Negra volcano in the morning then explored the picturesque “Equine Camp” in the afternoon.

It’s hard to decide what I enjoyed most: seeing faces young and old light up with joy when everyone took turns riding horseback, embracing what I like to call my “inner-Eliza-Thornberry” whilst bonding with the five dogs and dozen horses that call the Camp home, or learning all types of new card games with nothing more than laughably basic Spanish, a series of hand movements, astute observation that any scientist would be proud of (stay tuned for a peer-reviewed thesis on the game theory behind it all), and most importantly, a blessedly patient family to teach me.

IOI was happy to welcome the arrival of Donald Olson, or as the locals affectionately refer to him, our very own Charles Darwin! When he’s not talking about birds, he’s teaching us all about physical oceanography and the plethora of atmospheric and oceanic factors influencing the world we see around us. We started the week off strong with a 10-hour boat trip yesterday, complete with lava rock tour and two amazing snorkels. Students happily braved the frigid waters to swim with flights of sleek eagle rays and golden/cow-nose rays, a horde of baby blacktip sharks, and a number of mellow sea turtles.

Until our next adventure,

Claire Griffin

Learning the ropes as an IOI volunteer in the Galapagos

By Luke Nackley

Luke is a Social Media Volunteer in the Galapagos. Here he shares his insights from his first few weeks on Isabela Island.

Week 1

Exploring the island with study abroad students.

It has been a week since I landed in the Galapagos Islands; it already feels like I belong here. I don’t mean as if my whole life I dreamed of living in the Galapagos, rather, I have experienced such a fun and exciting welcome that my mind has already accepted the people I’ve met as friends and family. The people involved with IOI are eager to include me in the programs and activities around town and have become friends that I hang out with daily.

My position as a social media volunteer has given me insight in to the mission of IOI as well as the opportunity to experience the local lifestyle. It has been a week that has given me inspiration and motivation to do my best while I am here- I see IOI as a place that produces real change. Photographing the endemic species’ roaming the island, observing the Miami students in their study abroad program, interviewing locals, travelling to the highlands on farm visits… it’s a job description I can gladly say I love.

In just this first week I have settled in to my new lifestyle. Living with my housemates is never boring- chatting in the morning over hot cups of coffee, going out to eat and spending an afternoon at the beach are becoming memories I won’t forget.

“My volunteer work has been giving me amazing insight into what I might want to continue doing in life. My social media position offers lots of opportunity for adventure and meeting new people.”

Week 2

A chick rests on top of my computer as I work.

This last week has been quite action packed for me. A week ago, as I was writing my last blog, a baby chick walked in to the office. Obviously not taking notice of the very concentrated-looking human, it hopped and chirped its way on to the arm of my chair, then my desk, and finally perched itself on top of my computer. Of course, I’m not one to get in the way of someone else’s happiness and so I took a quick picture and allowed it to have its fun. A little bit of poop cleaning later and the chick was on its way out the door. This might be the only place in the world where I can start my week in that fashion.

I have learned quite a lot this week. To start, I began working on my open water diver certification with a local dive shop; they love to see me learning and constantly check up on my reading (I may slack a little on that part). I also broke a couple of mental barriers for myself. In the past I have never really been much of a dancer. I just don’t have rhythm. But, turns out all you have to do is ask a friend that loves dancing and you are bound for success; a few of my friends had a blast trying to teach me to salsa. In the middle of a crowded dance floor, I didn’t have to worry about how ridiculous I looked and soon enough I was salsa-ing the night away. To top it all off, I started surfing. I’m not the most balanced person and things like skating and snowboarding have always ended with some bruises for me. Hence, my resolve to simply observe the surfers. But, to not try while I was here would have been idiotic… and with a little beginners’ luck, I have gone to surf almost every day since then. The local surfers ended up giving me a couple lessons and still love to watch me constantly fall off my board.

I have finally become familiar with the town. Going shopping to make dinner with my housemates is a great time. And as a bonus, I now know where to find the cheapest chocolate to feed my addiction. Thinking about everything I learned, I’m more than happy with what the week brought me, and I now have some skills to master in the coming weeks.

Not me but someday I’ll get there!

Week 3

Over the last week this town has grown on me. I regularly hang out with the locals and never run out of things to do. Surfing is becoming one of my favorite activities, and I am almost done with my open water diver certification. I am starting to realize how special these memories are to me. I have also been gathering with friends regularly for things like pizza or pasta nights.

There is something to be said about pizza night in the Galapagos. Having all your friends at the IOI kitchen along with a whole lot of homemade dough. Everyone brings their toppings and shapes their own dough. What you end up with is about 10 or so misshapen, steaming hot pizzas over the span of a few hours. Instead of people eating just their own pizza, the pizza is passed around and either praised or embarrassingly critiqued. We all tend to agree that waiting on each pizza is a little annoying, but it ends up being worth the wait.

Last night the Miami students and I joined the local soccer matches. There are multiple fields in Puerto Villamil but this one is right next to the beach. They play in teams of five and only to two or three goals. Some of the teams are incredibly skilled and very competitive, but others, like mine, are just there for some fun. It is exciting watching the skilled players move the ball around so naturally. I think I should bring some popcorn next time to enjoy the show. After playing for 3 hours, my legs are plenty sore today.

My volunteer work has been giving me amazing insight into what I might want to continue doing in life. My social media position offers lots of opportunity for adventure and meeting new people. To be completely honest, however, it is easy to lose track of any work I need to do when I become ‘distracted’ by the beautiful island life.