Time Capsule Letter

Can you believe how fast the time has flown since we parted ways back in the summer?! What an emotional goodbye after a whirlwind of a trip to the Galapagos. From the bustling streets of Quito, to lazy days chilling with sea lions on the beach, we hope you remember our two weeks together and all the memories we created together!

Below are some of the best moments from our time together!

Orientation on the roof (when we all were strangers)
Our tour of Quito – climbing the Virgin Mary Statue and delicious chocolate tasting!
Lots of time on planes and boats
The amazing sandwiches that the first day in the Galapagos
Fernando playing the recording: “Wilsooooonnn”
Kayaking and snorkeling with sharks, rays, turtles and sea lion pups
Celebrating 4th of July with soccer and oreo ice cream sandwiches
Hanging out in the hammocks at that first home base on Isla Isabela
Working alongside giant tortoises and that amazing lunch meal we had
Guava and Turtle poop battles!
“What are the odds?”
Being chased in the water by a sea lion pup
Cooking dinner together – the best meal of the trip!
Free time exploring the downtown areas
Making T-shirt bags (Charlie’s “outfit” he made)
Our Salsa Class!
Our delicious last lunch at Crepes and Waffles!
The most tearful goodbye, watching the slideshow of our trip together

Do you still have your blue strings tied around your wrist? We hope you have continued to reflect on your GLA trip – especially on the ways you can continue to be an ambassador for the environment and a leader in your home community. Our group OMG Goal was: “Stay in touch”. I hope you have kept in contact! We miss you all so much!

Much love,

Allie, Lexi, Hakan, Wilson and Fernando

 

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Sunday June 30, 2019

Hola from Ecuador!

All of our Galapagos: Preserving Natures Wonders participants have arrived in country! After a long day of travel for most, we will hit the ground running tomorrow morning for orientation and a tour of the beautiful city of Quito!

Not pictured is Thoma, Molly, Elizabeth and Benjamin. They were the first to arrive, but were fast asleep by the time the rest of the crew got back and took this photo. We will send another picture of our whole team tomorrow!

Buenos Noches,

Allie – International Director

Monday July 1, 2019

Today was our first full day of adventure together! We started off with breakfast and then went straight into orientation where we learned about the program, each other, and the country of Ecuador.

After lunch, we jumped in a bus to explore Quito! Throughout the day we visited multiple beautiful view points, a Non Profit honey shop, watched a chocolate demonstration, and walked inside the majestic Golden Church. We finished a long day sharing our values, and finally, packing up and preparing for the next part of our adventure: The Galapagos! Tomorrow we leave early for the airpot.

Till tomorrow! Much love from Galapagos Track A, Session Two!

Tuesday July 2, 2019

We started off the day very early to catch our flight to the Galapagos. Our day was a very long travel day, but we all got to bond as a group. I feel like we all know each other so well even though it has only been two days together.

We have already seen tons of amazing animals like iguanas, penguins and lots of seals. Charlie has decided to name every seal he sees.

We made it to the hotel safe and sound. It is very beautiful and they are selling plantains right outside the hotel and it smells absolutely amazing. We are very excited to wake up early tomorrow to hike!

-Bekah 🙂

Wednesday July 3, 2019

I was the leader of the day today and it had its ups and downs. I was a little nervous that I might oversleep and when my roommate forgot to turn off the alarm for three o’clock in the morning, I tore out of bed as fast as I could. I then checked the time on my phone and was both relieved and a little frustrated. Later that day we left for the hike. We walked for a little bit and then went to go to the water. We swam for a hot sec with the sea lions and then continued on with our trek.

When we got to the Wall of Tears we had a moment of silence for all of the prisoners that had died building it. We then started the walk back and stopped at a volcanic tunnel that had been filled in with sea water. Me and a couple of other people had climbed inside and started to look for crabs. After this we walked on the beach to go get our lunch. When everyone was finished with their lunch, we started our world problems presentation and later the whale debate. I learned a lot about problems with whaling and it was very interesting. The debate we had opened up a lot of questions and changed my opinion about it.

The last thing we did was play soccer with the locals. It was a lot of fun and they were so amazing. If I told you we beat them, then I would be a liar. They were a lot better than us. We played for about an hour and an half an still only scored about six. Whatever the outcome was, both teams had tons of fun. Overall today was amazing and I made some good friends.

Leader of the Day & Blog Author: Ben

Thursday July 4, 2019

I was the leader of the day which was interesting. I had to wake up earlier and had some responsibilities. Today we went snorkeling and the first second we got in it was very cold and then we also saw a shark. Some people saw rays and turtles!

Later, we went to a tortoise breeding center and walked along the beach. A lot of people got ice cream, coconuts and empanadas.
In the evening we played soccer and had ice cream to celebrate the 4th of July!

I’m really looking forward to seeing the new island tomorrow and I enjoyed today a bunch.

Leader of the Day: Charlie!!

Friday July 5, 2019

We woke up in Isabela Island. After breakfast, we went to the harbor and started our smooth ride to Santa Cruz Island. We arrived at our hostel, where everyone rested and unpacked. We ate lunch, and then we were off to start our four hour service. After being eaten by fire ants, we headed back to the hostel while blasting music. We ate dinner and did a Pulse Check, checking in on how we’re all doing! Soon after, we were all exhausted and went to bed early, before 10pm!

-Krysta

Saturday July 6, 2019

Today was our first full day on Santa Cruz Island! We did service all day. We went to the tortoise ranch for the second day, but this time we worked for 8 hours, mostly clearing brush, and at the very end planting new trees. Frenando, Wilson, Lexi and Hakan, our guides, started a crazy guava fight after a break, where we all ended up with squishy guava fruit smeared on our heads and bodies. Easily the best part of the day. After a delicious lunch, we also explored some lava tunnels that formed naturally due to the high volcanic activity of this island. The service work was rigorous, yet rewarding. Finally, after a long and pretty exhausting day, we enjoyed some well-deserved ice cream!

-Elsie

Sunday July 7, 2019

We had a well needed later wake up call this morning, after 8 hours of service the previous day. After an 8 a clock breakfast we walked to the harbor then took a quick taxi boat ride across. We then had an easy 30 minute hike inland to Las Greitas, a beautiful swimming hole formed by high seas and rain in a canyon, where we swam for about an hour. We then walked back to homebase stopping at shops along the way. We then had lunch and headed back over to the service project. We worked planting trees and moving brush for three hours before returning back to homebase for dinner. To finish off the day we had a nice walk into town where we saw lots of reef sharks and a sea turtle off the dock.

Leader of the day: Ava

Monday July 8, 2019

We woke up in Santa Cruz and had breakfast. Then we took a very bumpy ferry ride to San Cristobal island. Next we hiked to the visitors center, and then to our beautiful snorkeling spot. We saw sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas, and beautiful fish in the crystal blue water. After swimming we all lay on the burning sidewalk to warm up, just like iguanas! When we got back, we made ourselves a delicious taco dinner, and then went to bed and had a restful nights sleep.

LOD: Breanna

Tuesday July 9, 2019

The day started of with a delicious breakfast and then a walk to the beach. Sea lions shared our beach time with us while we swam and napped. After the beach we walked back to the hostel where we changed and then went to a delicious lunch. We went to an interesting talk about trash and then we made cool bags out of shirts to help the plastic problem!!

Friday July 12, 2019

This morning breakfast was at 7:45, and some of us were very happy to have coffee that wasn’t stir in. After breakfast we got on a bus and headed to a museum on the Equator. On top of getting to play fun games on the equator line (balancing an egg, walking like a sobriety test, and watching the water spin different ways), we also learned a lot of new culture and see hummingbirds along the way. Some of us bought beautiful bracelets, and scarves being woven at the gift shop by local women.

Afterwards we had our salsa class. We learned 5 salsa steps, and some other styles of dance before we ended the lesson by dancing to foot loose. Afterwards we got back on the bus to eat the BEST LUNCH EVER at Crepes and Waffles. Students ordered crepes, shrimp curry, chicken, fish, and fancy pizza along with different flavors of frozen lemonade, sodas, and juices. Afterwards we ate icecream there before we walked to the Quito markets.

The markets were colorful and filled with clothes, jewelry, and avariety of other neat trinkets. After students made their purchases, we walked back to home base.

Many responsible students started packing to go home, but some of us cuddled up to watch the Bachlorette in the hotel lobby until dinner. After dinner (which had canned peaches for dessert) we all walked up to the roof for our closing ceremony.

By the end of our web of memories, appreciation circle, and slideshow all but one student was crying. As we hugged each other goodbye (and exchanged social media information), most of us were still teary eyed. As we say goodbye to Quito, all of us want to thank Alli, Lexi, Hakan, Wilson, Fernando, Patricia, and Kiara for the trip of a lifetime.

Please don’t be hurt if your kid(s) gets off the plane a little sad to be home, because in the Galopogos we have found more than paradise, we have found a second family.

Last blog post from Molly! 💕

Time Capsule Letter

Can you believe how fast the time has flown since we parted ways back in June?! What an emotional goodbye after a whirlwind of a trip to the Galapagos. From the bustling streets of Quito, to lazy days chilling with sea lions on the beach, we hope you remember our two weeks together and all the memories we created together!

Below are some of the best moments from our time together!

– Orientation on the roof (when we all were strangers)

– Our tour of Quito – all the dogs at the Virgin Mary Statue and delicious chocolate tasting!

– Lots of time on planes and boats

– The amazing sandwiches that the first day in the Galapagos

– Fernando playing the recording: “Wilsooooonnn” at the Tortoise Breeding Center

– Kayaking and snorkeling with sharks, rays, penguins and sea lion pups

– All the ice cream you all bought!

– Hanging out in the hammocks at that first home base

– Working alongside giant tortoises and that amazing lunch meal we had

– Making bracelets and necklaces during free time

– Finding cockroaches, hermit crabs, and spiders in our rooms

– Soup! Lots of soup!

– The tour of the equator – shrunken heads and balancing an egg on a nail

– Our delicious last lunch at Crepes and Waffles!

– The most tearful goodbye!

Do you still have your blue strings tied around your wrist? We hope you have continued to reflect on your GLA trip – especially on the ways you can continue to be an ambassador for the environment and a leader in your home community. We miss you all so much!

Much love,

Allie, Lexi, Hakan, Wilson and Fernando

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Wednesday June 12, 2019

Hello friends and family! All trip participants for Galapagos: Preserving Nature’s Wonders have arrived! After a long day of travel, students were greeted at the airport with empanadas and excited staff before heading back to our home base. Tomorrow we will explore the city of Quito – for now, we sleep! We can’t wait to get started on this adventure. Check back soon for more updates!

Thursday June 13, 2019

First day orientation today where we’ll learn more about Ecuador and where we are going – the amazing Galapagos. We are all a bit dozed off after the late arrivals last night but the group is in great spirits, and we are so excited for the next two weeks together!

Hakan – GLA Galapagos Staff

Thursday June 13, 2019 – Part 2!

¡Hola!

This morning we were all a bit tired from getting to our hotel very early that morning (around 12am). We had breakfast around 8am. Then, we headed up to the patio on top of the hotel we’re staying at to do orientation. During orientation, we discussed the overall schedule, got to know each other with a name game, and then learned a little bit more about Ecuador! Around 12:30 we had lunch which consisted of soup, a common dish of Ecuador, and rice with some type of protein (depending on the individuals diet).

At 1:30 we headed to the capital city, Quito! We were greeted in a tour bus by Carlos, the most enthusiastic, kind, and funny tour guide ever! The city is surrounded by two volcanos and is built up and down on the hill-like surface. Ecuador’s buildings are very diverse, close together, and the streets are filled with performers, locals, and some tourists. Ecuador is beautiful, colorful, authentic, and full of new incredible architecture every turn you take. We went to the giant virgin Mary statue overlooking Quito!

There were many dogs, shops, and beautiful churches made of gold or stone. Then after exploring the streets, we headed to the main square of Quito. After that, we went and learned about cocoa plants, saw demonstrations of how they make chocolate, and tasted it (it was incredible)! Then we headed to the store to collect snacks to prepare for heading to the islands tomorrow! Finally, we walked back to the hotel for dinner. We ended the night early because we have to leave for the Galápagos flight at 6am!

Learned: today I learned that the currency of dollars is the same as the US, however they have some different coins in addition to the American ones! Thanks Kate!

-Kaylee Meyer

Friday June 14, 2019

¡Hola!

Today was full of travel, sleep, beautiful views, clear waters, boat rides, plane rides, bus rides, and exotic animals belonging to the islands! This morning we had breakfast at 5:30 am at the Hotel in Quito, Ecuador. Then, we packed up and headed to the air port to start are journey to the Galapagos islands! After going through security and exploring the airport a bit, we headed to Baltra Island (which was surprisingly desert like and full of cacti.

After, we took a bus and ferry to Santa Cruz. While waiting for the boat that would take us to our final destination, we saw a large sea turtles, large black iguanas, plenty of sharks, bright red crabs, and a sea lion through the clear waters! Finally came the long boat ride to our destination, Isabela Island! Where we immediately spotted penguins, fish, and many playful sea lions that swam right up to us!

The land on the island is plentiful in tropical plants and flowers, and black lava rocks. Next we headed to the hostel where we are staying for the next few days, where we finished the night with diner and a group activity! Everyone is starting to bond and make new friends which makes us exited!

-Ash the leader of the day
-Kaylee Meyer
Tomorrow’s leader: Sarah

Saturday June 15, 2019

Today was our first full day in Galapagos and though it looked like a dull day with gray clouds in the morning, it cleared up and turned out as a great welcome to our Paradise in Isabela island. We have just finished our kayak tour with snorkeling where the group had the pleasure to see the White-tipped sharks and penguins so the group returned happy.

Hakan

Saturday June 15, 2019 Part 2

We started out the day with a leisurely bus ride to the beach to start out our day of fun. We went kayaking and saw penquins, sea gulls, and blue footed boobies catching fish and sitting on the nearby shore. Then we hopped off the kayakas and did some snorkeling. We saw blacktip reef sharks, big sea turtles, parrot fish, stingrays, and a sea lion. Once we were back on shore we enjoyed the sun on the beach next to the sea lions who were lounging on the benches and playfully body surfing the soft waves.

Some of us went snorkeling again at concha perla, a beautiful secluded lagoon surrounded by mangroves. After getting some ice cream and playing some volleyball we headed back to home base to eat lunch. We were all exited about our next activity, we were going to see the galapagose tortoise breeding centre. We learned about the tortoises’ importance and how the anamals that were introduced into the islands ecosystem effected the tortoises habitats.

Though humans are still the number 1 cause cause of these animals populations to drop, at the centre we are doing our part to right that wrong, and keep these wonderful creatures alive. After that we did a small mile and a half walk through mangroves wetlands and the beach, to get back to our hotel. We wrapped up the day with dinner and a leadership activity. All and all I think all of us would agree it was a pretty great day.

Sunday June 16, 2019

¡Hola!

Happy Father’s Day! We began the day early with breakfast at 7:00 am. At 7:30 we hopped in the busetta and headed to the trail leading us to the Wall of Tears. some highlights of the hike included:

multiple wild giant tortoises (they were amazing), the view point (a high point up a mountain where you could see the ocean and surrounded tree covered mountains), walking through tunnels of branches, a surprise walk through shallow, clear water during low tide, trying wild passion fruits, a cavern under lava rock, blue footed boobies, and a walk through the beach picking up plastic. Summing the whole hike up to nine miles (it felt like more) by the time we arrived back at home base for lunch. Lunch consisted of your average soup, rice, some type of meat (unknown), and plantains!

After lunch we did a leadership activity, debating on whether whale hunting should be legal on a small island based off of culture. Many people had strong opinions which lead us into a good discussion on relating topics. Around 4:00 we headed to the soccer fields to play soccer with the local boy’s team. They 100% flexed on us with their amazing skills, but we ended up winning in the end (Unsure if they let us… I think they did….. but GLA still did amazing)! The GLA team consisted of Will, Leland, Kate, Ash, Charlie, and Sarah/Ash. Afterwards we headed back to home base and a few headed to the beach! Overall a long exhausting day full of unforgettable fun and educational experiences:)

-Kaylee Meyer<3

Leader of the day: Will

Monday June 17, 2019

Buenos dias! Today was a very long day. We woke up for breakfast at 7 and had a special meal, pancakes! Then we packed up and got on the boat to the island of Santa Cruz. Only this time, the boat ride was wayyy easier because we had chairs. It went by very fast, and then we hopped on the bus to our new hotel.

We had about an hour of rest, then had lunch, which was cheesy soup and ceviche- very delicious. Soon after, we took a 30 minute drive to our work site. Before we worked, we had some lemongrass tea. Then we began our 4 hours of work. We cleared branches onto the side of the clearing, dug rocks out of the ground, and transferred rocks from place to place.

It was very tiring, but we had good conversations the whole time. We also learned about fire ants; a few people got bit by them. Finally, after 4 hours we came back to the hotel. We stopped on the way and bought very good pastries and meringues. At the hotel, we had dinner- steak and rice. Then we were told we could shop in the town!

So ‪at 7:45‬ we left, and started at the ice cream store. The tables had swings as chairs which was very fun. Then we walked around and found cute things to buy for home. By 9 we were exhausted and came back to the hotel, did shoutouts, and got in our rooms. Tomorrow will be a long day. Goodnight!!

-Kate
PS. Love ya fam

Wednesday June 19, 2019

Hello families! This post was added for June 19:

Today we went to Las Grietas and swam in a natural pool in a valley. We then went back to the Homebase and ate lunch. After lunch, we went to el Chato and planted small trees to help restore the natural ecosystem.

-Leland

Thursday June 20, 2019

Hello families! We have a very special blog post today. Our beloved Galapagos Local Director, Hakan, has filmed and prepared a couple of VIDEOS for you to enjoy! 🙂

Today we had a relaxing morning with a visit to Las Grietas for a swim at this special place. On the way there we hiked shortly through some wetlands and the salt fields of Puerto Ayora, a great way to gather some strength for our last day at the project in Santa Cruz this afternoon.

After hard work we managed to plant 81 endemic scalecia trees that each was protected with 2 or 3 rocks untill they grow up so that the giant tortoises don’t walk over them and kill them. Very hard-working group that now is ready for dinner and maybe an ice cream in town tonight. Dan Cristóbal next.

– Blog and Videos by Hakan – Local Director

Friday June 21, 2019

¡Hola!

We started our day with a bus ride to the beach. We had a short walk on the beach until reaching the area where we could all enjoy snorkeling, swimming, or even just chilling by the sea lions. After spending some time at the beach we were able to go back to home base and rest before lunch and our afternoon activities.
After lunch we went to the local school for a service activity. We spent our time repainting the basketball court floors, and we even got to meet Wilson’s kids! We spent most of our afternoon at the school but after dinner we were able to go out into town for a while and see some stores by the harbor.

-by Caty

Saturday June 22, 2019

Today we went to the beach and played survivor then we walked back to the home base and got ice cream on the way to lunch. After lunch we played spoons and wrote letters to ourselves. Then we all got the chance to go out to dinner on are own and walk around town after. Our last day in the Galapagos!!!! Now we are headed to Quito.

-by Cora

Time Capsule Letter

Bula!!!

It seems like just yesterday that we were all sitting enthralled as captain Steve danced up a storm for the chief as he ushered in the Tambu, marine protected area, in front of Nanuya Boathouse. What is there to be said about such an incredible and unique experience. Our work contributed to the formation of Fiji’s first government gazetted tambu area. Your reef check survey data is the baseline data against which the success of the tambu will be measured.

Our COTS removal, mangrove plantings and nursery, soap pits and the community education projects we initiated are all now an important part of the ongoing community management of resources. The GLA staff were all so proud of all your hard work, the dedication and creativity you brought to your presentations and the laughter and joy you brought with you.

We remember fondly, relaxing at the blue lagoon and sipping on coconuts (free of plastic straws of course), sludging through the mangrove tunnel and whipping around the island on Captain Bill boat. We miss your laughter and glee as you rammed each other in kayaks and flipped each other off paddleboards.

The international staff Kelsey, Elle, Sam and Maria all miss you and hope you took something away from our night time activities and reducing plastic waste, shark conservation and how to be an activist. We remember fondly our time spent learning about conservation, the fun had in mentor groups and the times just spent relaxing on our little private beach.

We hope you took away amazing experiences, memories and friendships from our 2 weeks together in Fiji. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours and hope to run into you again!

-By Sam, Mentor

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Sunday July 21, 2019

A big Bula from the GLA Fiji Marine Staff! All students have arrived and are settled. Although tired, everyone is in good spirits. We arrived at our hotel to breakfast and then some time to rest before meeting at the pool for our swim test. Our morning was spent getting to know each other and going through a program introduction.

In the afternoon we walked over to Wailelula Beach where we played games and enjoyed the afternoon breeze. After a nice dinner it was an early bed time for all students and everyone is super excited to get into the program tomorrow. We begin our day with a lesson on Fiji culture and a trip to the botanical gardens and healing mud pools.

-GLA Staff

Monday July 22, 2019

Today was our first full day of program! After waking up from a good night’s rest (everyone was asleep by nine p.m.) and enjoying our breakfast, we met Gabby -our Local Director- who gave us an introduction to Fiji and the Fijian culture. We then got on the bus and headed into Nadi town where we stocked up on sarongs and a few snacks for our time in the island before heading for lunch. In the afternoon we had a beautiful walk through the Botanical Gardens of the Sleeping Giant where we walked up to a beautiful viewpoint. The afternoon adventure ended with a fun mud bath – mud yoga included!

After arriving back at the hotel we had some down time before meeting up and dividing ourselves into our leadership groups: Social Squad, Wanda Warriors, Mum’s and Plastic Patrol. We enjoyed our first Chow Circle, a short moment where we meet before dinner and give shout outs to those that have helped out during the day in one way or another. Post-dinner we had a fun activity where we got to know more about our mentor’s and divide into mentor groups. Tomorrow will start early as we head out to the pier and onto the ferry for journey to Nanuya. We are all looking forward to getting in the water!

Tuesday July 23, 2019

Today we woke up early to finish up packing fill our stomachs with a hardy breakfast for the journey ahead. We boarded a bus to the ferry terminal, made sure our bags were checked in and then hopped aboard for our five hour journey to our new home – Boathouse Nanuya.

On the boat ride some of us adults slept, played games (cards), sat outside, and took some MORE pictures… we saw great things in the beautiful scenery. The island formations were great and the ocean a mesmerizing blue.
When we reached the island home base, local staff sang and welcomed us. We ate lunch and relaxed for a while before meeting up again for our snorkeling workshop.

When we entered the water and began snorkeling we saw different fish and marine life. At first some of us were more nervous than others but we all got comfortable in the new environment. After showering and warming up from our swim, we got together on the sun deck to enjoy our first sunset on Nanuya. To cap of our afternoon, Gabby -our local director- told us more about the service program we will be starting tomorrow. After dinner we participated in a discussion about Sustainable traveling and how we can reduce our plastic pollution.

Wednesday July 24, 2019

We started the morning with a workshop on basic reef ecology. Learning about the reefs and being able to step right outside to learn hands on has been amazing. For the day, groups split up to receive specific training pertaining to their service project. Group one went with Elle and Gabby (our local director) and learned to identify species in the reef in order to survey them.

Group two prepped “coral cookies” and learned how to identify COTS (crown of thorns starfish), an invasive species that eats coral. Each group went out to snorkel for basic training before afternoon service. Being in the crystal-clear water has truly been a beautiful experience. our afternoon activities we cleaned up, had break time, and went into our mentor groups. We ended the night with a traditional dancing and a BBQ dinner.

Thursday July 25, 2019

We began our day with a lesson on COTS, Crown-of-Thorns Starfish, and their destructive impact on coral reefs. Afterwards, the groups from yesterday switched roles for service. The group that previously did the COTS collection now surveyed the reef for an assigned fish, invertebrate, or the coral itself and the other group planted coral fragments. Unfortunately, the current was too strong to efficiently survey the reef, but on the bright side, that group was able to join in on COTS collection.

Overall, we managed to remove over 20 starfish. The weather was a bit gloomy which was perfect for afternoon naps in the sundeck before meeting with our leadership and mentor groups. During dinner we celebrated Isa’s birthday by singing happy birthday in both English and Fijian.

In the evening we ran a debate on Whaling rights for Indigenous communities where we had to put our personal opinions aside and represent the beliefs of a certain organization or group of individuals.

Friday July 26, 2019

Bula! Today GLA students left the seas and started our mangrove conservation project on a neighboring island. We started by collecting the prapagulles (baby mangroves) before heading inland and building a nursery for them. After completing the first half of our project, we headed back to the coast for lunch. Unfortunately we had to cut the project short because of strong winds and had to head back to home base.

After a short break we explored more of our home island in the hopes of finding some more prapagulles, and ended up wading through mud filled mangrove caves in an attempt to walk around the entire island. After our afternoon adventure we played “Get to know your mentor” which -after a nail bitting finale was won by Maria’s mentor group. We had a delicious Nanuya Dinner followed by traditional Fijian dancing and a village market where we were able to buy souvenirs in a way that directly supports the local community.

Saturday July 26, 2019

Yandra! Saturday morning began tentatively with an eye on the weather, but with optimism from Captain Bill we took to the motor boats and set off for a cave adventure. We entered a big cave and then swam through to another cave; which was completely dark! We kept swimming to the end of the dark passage where Captain Bill told stories of the cave and island.

After that, we headed back to Nanuya for lunch and some rest. Rain and wind didn’t stop us from having a hula dancing lesson, followed by a movie. After leadership and mentor groups, we headed for dinner and then for our night activity lead by Sam about “How to be an activist.” We’re hoping for better weather tomorrow!

Sunday July 28, 2019

Happy Sunday from Fiji! Today was a fun and relaxing day, as most communities in Fiji take it easy on Sunday. GLA students started the day with a scavenger hunt around the island organized by accommodation staff. They hiked up to the peak of the island and collected photos of important elements of Nanuya’s culture. The hunt ended at the Blue Lagoon, where they spent the day swimming, snorkeling, tossing a frisbee, and playing volleyball with hotel staff.

The group had a barbecue and enjoyed the sun before coming back to the boat house for paddle boarding, kayaking, and time to relax. This evening, GLA students will have leadership and mentor groups, followed by dinner and a bonfire. Everyone is feeling well rested for tomorrow! Social Squad (your student blog writers) want to wish their mentor and blog mom, Maria, a very happy birthday!

Monday July 29, 2019

Today was the start of another busy week for GLA students in Fiji! The group headed over to Vuake, a town on a nearby island, to continue their mangrove nursery project. Then, they headed further into the village where the local school was in session. Students gave the school dining hall a fresh coat of paint before heading to the boat for a lunch on the water. From there, the group went back to Home Base for rest, showers, and paddle sports.

At four o’clock, they reconvened to learn about their presentation assignment for the following day, for which students will meet with groups of school children and lead interactive sessions about the importance of mangroves for preserving the local ecosystem. After planning, students split into their leadership and mentor groups, followed by dinner. They’re looking forward to Shark Trivia with Maria this evening and another full day tomorrow!

Tuesday July 30, 2019

Today the GLA students focused on Waste Management in the community of Matacalalevu. We installed soap pits, which are devices to help filter out dirty dishwater, and dug a giant hole to help the village keep their trash contained. Afterwards, there was a bit of free time to interact with the kids and to drink fresh coconuts while waiting for tea with the people from the village.

After returning to home base we enjoyed the good weather by going paddling, kayaking and snorkeling while some sunbathed. Tonight we will watch “Chasing Coral”, a documentary highlighting the struggles that this fundamental ecosystem faces.

Wednesday July 31, 2019

Happy Wednesday! Today we journeyed over to Soma Levu island to go to the local school. We took the first part of the morning to beautify their water tank and finish up what the last session started. The students were in their exams so we had to keep quiet. When the recess bell rang we separated into three groups. We did a mini lesson in each group on why mangroves are important to their island. We also incorporated a game into each lesson which the students loved!

After the students had to go back to class we finished up our painting and headed back to home base for lunch. After lunch we prepared for a gathering taking place tomorrow where we will share our data with important officials. Then we took some time to spend in the water on paddle boards, kayaks, or to snorkel. We followed with mentor and leadership groups. Finally we ended the night with a presentation from Kelsey.

Thursday August 1, 2019

Today was an exciting day for GLA students, who were invited to participate in and present at the historic induction of the first government recognized marine conservation site in Fiji. The morning consisted of a goodbye swim in front of home base, we snorkeled, kayaked and paddle boarded. When tide began going down – and it was fast! – we continued prepping for our afternoon presentation. After our traditional lovo lunch, the festivities began.

There was an opening ceremony in traditional Fijian manner and various chiefs from the area spoke to the main chief. We boarded the boats and went off to see the official inauguration of the Nanuya Marine Reserve/Tambu Área where the chief marked the territory with buoys. Upon returning to land, students split into three groups to present information about mangroves, coral reefs, waste management, and the corresponding projects in front of the community, high chiefs, and press. The evening continued with more celebration, music, and dancing. The group closed out the night with some down time and star gazing.

Friday August 2, 2019

Our last full day in Fiji! Today was a bitter-sweet day for GLA students and staff. It was time to say goodbye to the wonderful staff and sights of Nanuya Boat House. Students began with sunrise yoga, followed by a hike around the island. They stopped briefly for homemade tea and doughnuts in the village before returning for lunch at home base.

After a goodbye song with home base staff, they loaded up for the ferry ride back to Nadi for dinner and down time. Saying goodbye to the Nanuya family was hard, but everyone is ready to make the most of tomorrow before saying goodbye to their new GLA Fiji family.

Saturday August 3, 2019

Our time in Fiji has come to an end. After breakfast we finished packing and brought out our bags for our last mentor meetings. Everyone had some time to think and discuss their OMG (One Major Goal) and how their learning and experience these past two weeks was going to be transferred back to their homes and communities. Before heading in to Nadi we had an appreciation circle where a few tears and lots of laughter were shared.

Our morning continued with some shopping in town and a delicious lunch at Mama Pizza. Unfortunately it was time for goodbyes to begin as two of our students had an earlier flight and went straight to the airport. The rest of the group then headed back to Nadi Bay Hotel for final surveys, ping-pong tournaments and chill out time before leaving for the airport. It has been an amazing two weeks and all our students are on their way home with a happy heart, many pictures and even more great memories.

Time Capsule Letter

Bula!!!

It feels like just yesterday that all of us were sitting at the blue lagoon and sipping on coconuts (free of plastic straws of course). The coral that we planted is thriving right of Nanuya island. It now provides a safe ecosystem to some of the many important species we surveyed and learnt about. Just think of those cute little surgeon fish eating algae off our coral and parrot fish darting past.

The area we snorlekeled and kayaked through is now a marine protected area (tabu) and the local community has used our presentations to further their conservation work. The 1,483 mangrove propugules are all thriving, providing important ecosystem services which help coral reefs. Captain Bill is still boating around challenging any who dare to a fierce game of volleyball. He remembers fondly our trip to the Sea Cave and the beauty of our voices as they echoed through the cave.

The murals we painted at the local Fijian school are still there, brightening students learning environment and reminding the kids of the days you came and played with them. The community of Vauke still remember and talk fondly of their first GLA group.

The international staff Kelsey, Elle, Sam and Maria all miss you and hope you took something away from our night time activities and reducing plastic waste, shark conservation and how to be an activist. We remember fondly our time spent learning about conservation, the fun had in mentor groups and the times just spent relaxing on our little private beach.

We hope you took away amazing experiences, memories and friendships from our 2 weeks together in Fiji. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours and hope to run into you again.

-Sam and the rest of the team!

 

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Friday July 5, 2019

A big Bula from the GLA Fiji Marine Staff! All students have arrived and are settled. Although tired, everyone is in good spirits. We spent the afternoon playing games and getting to know each other at the beautiful Wailoaloa beach. Everyone is super excited to get into the program tomorrow with a lesson on Fiji culture and a trip to some botanical gardens and healing mud pools.

*Emily not pictured due to late arrival

Saturday July 6, 2019

Today we started our day with a presentation on Fijian culture, given by our awesome local director gabbi. He told us all about the chiefly system in Fiji and important cultural ideas that we need to know before jumping into help save coral reefs with rural Fijian communities. Then one of our international mentors Elle, who has lived in Fiji taught us some important Fijian phrases.

Then we were off to our first activity. A walk through the Sleeping Giant Botanical Gardens. After the hike we took, one of the students said “this was one of the best views I’ve ever seen.” Then we went to some ancient exfoliating mud baths and washed off in a sacred volcanic hot spring. We finished off the night with a performance by a world traveling fire dance group, and some of us even joined in!!

We are excited to be off to our home base in the Yasawa Islands tomorrow for the rest of session.

Sunday July 7, 2019

We started off the day with a presentation on coral reef ecology from Elle. She taught us how coral ecosystems work and why reefs are so important and need to be protected. Then we split into two service groups for our first day of service work.

Group 1 started our coral planting project work with a snorkel to previously planted corals. We did this so we could see what we would be working towards. We then attached pieces of salvaged coral to coral cookies ( concrete circles that are attached to metal grids and placed on degraded reefs) and planted them. We ended our service day making our own cookies out of cement for the next group to use.

Group 2 spent their service work performing a Reef Check survey. As Gabbi taught us, Reef Check is a globally recognized citizen science data project where participants can keep track of important species that indicate reef health. We split into snorkeling pairs, each assigned a type of species to count and take tallies on how many they see. We stopped for lunch on an abandoned beach and soaked up the beauty of the nature around us. They then went to another reef and continued to count the species they were assigned.

We came all together for an evening activity about whaling and cultural rights. We are excited to continue our service adventure tomorrow.

Tuesday July 9, 2019

Today we continued with our service work, with groups swapping what they did yesterday and planting coral and continuing to take reef check surveys. We then went on a sunset walk to pick up mangrove propagules aka baby mangroves for our service work planting mangroves tomorrow. Tonight we will have a bonfire and star gazing and are looking forward to it after a full day of service in the water.

Wednesday July 10, 2019

We started our day with a lecture about the importance of mangrove ecosystems. Then Gabby taught us the correct cultural way to wear our sulus (sarongs) as well as how to respectfully enter a village home.

Next, we took a boat to a Vauki, a local village and greeted the elders in a traditional welcome called a Sevu Sevu. Afterwards we planted red mangrove propagules and continued to look for more to plant later.

We then had a relaxing lunch by the sea before returning to plant black mangrove trees further inland. Although it was hot we all had a very rewarding day of service.

We’re looking forward heading back to the village tomorrow for our second day of service in the community.

Thursday July 11, 2019

Today was an amazing day working in the community. We started with a community survey were we walked around asking community members about their waste management practices. We asked them about their animals, greywater and sewage systems and about the impact of improper waste management.

After lunch in the community we made a map of the village with our information and came up with a plan of action to address some of the waste issues. We also learnt more about the village history from elders. Finally we had tea and snacks with the villagers and played with some local kids.

We are headed back to the village tomorrow to work further on waste management and participate in a beach clean up with the locals.

Friday July 12, 2019

We started off the day with a boat ride to the community to continue our service. We began our service with a beach clean-up that included recording the trash collected. The data was uploaded on to a online data-base. Next we took lunch on the beach along with a short nap.

After lunch we continued service by building soap pits to help the community manage waste water. We came back and enjoyed freetime snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Afterwords we went to the other side of the island to enjoy dinner with a traditional Fijian Meke performance. Tomorrow we are going a scared sea cave and continue our service by removing harmful starfish from the environment.

Monday July 15, 2019

Today we went to a local school for our service work. While we were there we engaged in various beautification projects. We improved students learning environment by painting murals with educational content about marine conservation. We also installed painted tyres to better outline paths through the school. Finally we painted a water tank with a coral reef scene with important messages about plastic use. We also taught a fun song about coral and how to care for it to the local fijian school children. We also had the opportunity to play games with the kids and learn how much Fijians love to play sports.

This afternoon we got ready to give our final presentation to the community tomorrow. We are all very excited to share what we learned and hope that GLA continues its partnership with the wonderful community of Vuake, who have opened their hearts and homes to us and without whom it would be impossible to protect our beautiful marine ecosystems.

Tuesday July 16, 2019

Today we said goodbye to the beautiful community of Vuake. It was a sad day filled with joyous moments. We began by helping the community prepare food for a traditional Earth oven Lovo. We chopped up fish, octopus and helped prepare chicken and cassava. We helped weave flower necklaces and decorate the community hall for our special farewell meal. We played with all the children of the village whose enthusiasm and excitement wore us out.

Finally it was lunch time! And what a lunch it was. We were presented with a feast fit for kings. Plate after plate of delicious food was laid out before us and we ate until we couldn’t stand the sight of another delicious treat. After lunch we were able to present our data and recommendations to the community. After having spent 10 days working on marine conservation we were excited to share all that we learnt with our friends from Vuake. The community loved our presentations and we are excited that GLA will continue to foster relationships with these local communties.

Tomorrow we will leave out beautiful homebase on Nanuya island to return to Nadi for our final night before heading back to the U.S.A. Although we are excited to see our family and friends we leave Fiji knowing that we have left a little piece of hearts here.

Thursday July 18, 2019

It was tough for GLA staff to say goodbye to this group of amazing students. We spent our final day in Nadi together doing some great souvenir shopping and having an awesome pizza lunch together. We said goodbye to each other having spent 2 weeks learning about marine ecology together and growing as leaders as we undertook service projects. All students are safely aboard their flights and on their long journey home. A big thank you from all the GLA staff to our wonderful students and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

GLA Fiji Staff

Time Capsule

Bula!!!

It feels like just yesterday that all of us were sitting at the blue lagoon and sipping on coconuts (free of plastic straws of course). The coral that we planted is thriving right of Nanuya island. It now provides a safe ecosystem to some of the many important species we surveyed and learnt about. Just think of those cute little surgeon fish eating algae off our coral and parrot fish darting past.

The area we snorlekeled and kayaked through is now a marine protected area and the local community has used our presentations to further their conservation work. The 1440 mangrove propugules are all thriving, providing important ecosystem services which help coral reefs. Captain Bill is still boating around challenging any who dare to a fierce game of volleyball. He remembers fondly our trip to the Sea Cave and the beauty of our voices as they echoed through the cave.

The murals we painted at the local Fijian school are still there, brightening students learning environment and reminding the kids of the day you all came and repeatedly fell over playing duck duck goose.

The international staff Kelsey, Elle, Sam and Maria all miss you and hope you took something away from our night time activities and reducing plastic waste, shark conservation and how to be an activist. We remember fondly our time spent learning about conservation, the fun had in mentor groups and the times just spent relaxing on our little private beach.

We hope you took away amazing experiences, memories and friendships from our 2 weeks together in Fiji. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours and hope to run into you again

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Tuesday June 18, 2019

After an early start all the students arrived bright eyed and bushy-tailed at Nadi Airport, despite a few lost bags there were big Bula smiles all around as we all headed back to Nadi Bay Resort to be greeted with a traditional Fijian welcome ceremony. The students were introduced over the kava bowl, kava is a ceremonial drink made from the root of a local pepper plant which some of the brave staff tried in order to respect locals customs.

After being shown to their rooms and given a chance to settle in and get to know their fellow roomates we covered a few basic housekeeping rules and health checks in order to ensure everyone is fit and healthy for some serious conservation work out in the field.

The afternoon was spent at Wailoaloa beach, named after the colour of its black, organic-rich sand. Everyone had huge amounts of fun playing games, paddling in the warm tropical water and generally hanging-out and enjoying the beautiful Fijian weather with a backdrop of swaying palms. Dinner was a traditional Fijian ‘lovo’, where meat and vegetables are cooked in the ground over baking hot stones, a technique that has remained unchanged for centuries.

The day was topped off with a fantastic Polynesian dance troupe who lit up the resort with their breath-taking fire dancing. Students were more than happy to head to bed early to catch-up on some much needed sleep in eager anticipation for tomorrow’s activities!

Eleanor Brighton

Wednesday June 19, 2019

First day for the students waking up to a beautiful Fijian sunrise started with a presentation on local culture, community values and Fijian history. On our way to eat a hearty lunch at the self-proclaimed ‘World’s Best Fish and Chip Restaurant’ we stopped to buy sulus – a traditional Fijian sarong integral to local custom and a necessary item for working in conservative communities.

Next up was a informative tour of the lush Gardens of the Sleeping Giant where students learnt about native Fijian plant and insect species. This was followed by a sweaty hike up to see a beautiful view out over Nadi to the ocean and the bay where the first settlers landed in Fiji. The students cooled off in the therapeutic thermal mud pools before heading home for a buffet dinner and well deserved rest!

Saturday June 22, 2019

The past couple of days has been crazy, it started with heading out to our idyllic home base paradise. After visiting our village friends in the local community who put on a traditional Fijian welcome kava ceremony called a ‘sevusevu’, we learnt about the threats of plastic to marine habitats and how to live more sustainable lives.

Students woke up to a delicious first breakfast on the island complete with a beautiful view over the reef. The first service day kicked off with an informative lecture about coral reef ecology, students then split and one group surveyed a newly established MPA (marine protected area) to look at its effectiveness whilst the other group helped to regenerate reefs lost from coastal development by building a coral nursery. The day ended perfectly with some local Fijian dancing and a delicious meal. After an intensive service day in the water we enjoyed an adventure day snorkeling in a sacred cave occupied by a 10-headed snake god!

Sunday June 23 and Monday June 24, 2019

We spent a chilled Sunday enjoying a typical day at the beach. The day kicked off with an island-wide scavenger hunt which included a picturesque hike up a hill to enjoy the view. The aim of game was to be the first back to find all the clues and impress the island chief!

After a well-received BBQ on the beach which included all-American hot dogs with a tropical twist student chilled out beach volleyball, kayak games and a marine biology snorkel. Day 7 started with a lovely breakfast with a view, right after our mentor Elle gave an informative lecture about the threats of the Crown-of-Thorns to Fijian Marine Ecology, we kicked off our service work by monitoring and retrieving this pest species on the house reef with data submitted to international COTS monitoring programmes.

After lunch we split back into groups to continue surveying the reef and planting baby corals. After service we had a GLA ‘pulse check’ to make sure everyone was in tip-top shape and enjoying the programme whilst giving useful feedback about what can be improved going forward.

Tuesday June 25, 2019

Everyone woke up to a hot and humid morning after a rainy night. After a delicious breakfast, the students learned about mangroves from Gabbi, our local director. They then went on a nature walk where the students picked up mangrove babies to plant later. After a beachside lunch, the students had some down time before they headed over to the village.

Once in the village, the students started planting the mangrove babies into the mud. A few students had some miss steps and ended up taking an extra mud bath. In total the students planted 1446 baby mangroves. Afterwards, the students played volleyball on the beach before sitting down for some afternoon tea presented by the villagers.

Wednesday June 26, 2019

Wednesday morning kicked off with a windy breakfast on the terrace of pancakes, followed by a presentation about waste management! Students were pretty shocked to find how easy it is for western people to deal with their trash compared to how much of an issue it is for developing nations like Fiji with little or no municipal waste removal. After the presentation students prepped their class on Water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) ready to teach in a local primary school tomorrow.

After lunch students took a boat to a village called Matacau Levu where one group conducted household surveys finding out how community members dispose of their solid waste and greywater. The other group conducted a beach clean with a few little helpers from the village, the highlight of the day was definitely ‘Little Billy’, the adorable grandson of much loved GLA boat captain Bill. The women of the village made a delicious tea where everyone enjoyed stuffed roti, jan roll cakes and banana bread. We made our way back over chippy seas looking forward to an evening trivia activity focused on shark conservation.

Friday June 28, 2019

The last two days have been a blur! The GLA students spent the whole day yesterday at the local primary school. They presented to the kids on the importance of water converservation and how to properly wash their hands. The GLA students then painted murals and did other beautification projects around the school and played games with the children. It was so fun to be with the young kids all day and gain insight into another culture. The night ended with a barbaraur and a Polynesian dance performance at home base.

This morning started with the students having optional snorkel time or hula dancing lesson. For our final service project we traveled to the local village one last time to present to the villagers what we had learned and the data we had gathered. The students presentations were on community waste management, mangrove ecology, water conservation, the monitoring and removal of the crown of thorns starfish, and the reef check survey results. The students then had free time at home base to relax and enjoy the Fijian paradise.

Monday July 1, 2019

Well what a way to end a hugely successful trip, after an emotional goodbye song in Fijian sang by Nanuya staff the volunteers set sail on rough seas to Nadi, thankfully everyone spotted an inquisitive Manta Ray en route which more than made up for the queezy conditions!

The last day was spent souvenir shopping in Nadi where students bought a selection of traditional Fijian handicrafts from war clubs to Tapa bags. The afternoon was spent reflecting on the impact of our project and the students contributions to the everyday lives of Matacaulevu community members and the pristine reef habitats they depend on so closely. After some truly heartfelt goodbyes and exchanging of contact details the students arrived at the airport ready to return home.