Classes in the Cloud Forests
As a biology student staring down my junior year at Occidental, there seemed to be no better place to study abroad than Ecuador and Galápagos, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. There...
View ArticleTales from Tiputini
As I rule, I try not to wake up before the sun has risen; it’s one of my least favorite things to do. But when I’m up before the sun to journey to the Amazon, I can make an exception. At about 5:15...
View ArticleCooperation not Competition
As I approached by fourth week here in Ecuador, I have become more accustomed to life here and all the differences in cultures. Sadly, this week also was the third and final week of my tropical ecology...
View ArticleDo You Speak Whale?
Before our arrival in Galápagos, I had one last incredible experience on the mainland of Ecuador. For the first week of my second class, “Marine Life,” I had the opportunity to go with my class to the...
View ArticleIsland Life
After a month in Quito, and a stressful evening/early morning of packing and repacking, we finally made it to the airport to leave for the Galápagos. As we drove to the airport, Cotopaxi bid us...
View ArticleDeserted Beaches and Being the Inverse Little Mermaid
Early (too early) this morning I finally got to pull on my new wetsuit and go on my first dive here in Galápagos. After the struggle that is cramming oneself into a neoprene onesie, we all made our way...
View ArticleA Day in the Life on San Cristóbal
I cannot believe that today marks exactly one month since we left Quito and arrived in San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos. I’ve passed the halfway mark of my time in Ecuador. Life on the island has been...
View ArticleRediscovering my Love of Swimming
Living near the coast for nearly my entire life has made the ocean central to who I am. Coming to the Galápagos islands was a dream come true, to spend a semester on a tiny piece of land surrounded by...
View ArticleIsland hopping
As part of my program here in the Galápgos, between modules three and four, we go on an “island hopping” trip, meaning we take boats around to see the other islands in the archipelago. I was so excited...
View ArticleNearing the End
As I pass the “one month left” point in my study abroad experience, I find myself somewhere between excited to go home and inexpressibly sad about having to leave this incredible place. I will likely...
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