The Young Leader

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GALAPAGOS – Preserving Nature’s Wonders A – August 4 – August 17, 2017

8/4/2017 

Suzannah Crandall
They made it! After a late dinner and quick intros, everyone headed to bed for some much-needed sleep after traveling.
This morning we went through orientation for the program and will be headed out on a city tour later. We have smiles all around and are looking forward to two weeks with this group.

8/5/2017
Suzannah Crandall
 
What a great first day in Ecuador!  After initial program orientation in the morning, we all headed to “old town” Quito to explore and learn about Ecuadorian culture.  Highlights included a visit to the Panecillo/Virgin of Quito statue, a tour of the golden church (La Compañía de Jesus), a quick stop at a pop-up wind instrument concert and visits to some local, traditional craft stores.  We finished at a chocolate producer and learned about the chocolate making process and tasted some of their fine product.
After a delicious dinner, we did an activity introducing how we can all act as leaders in our everyday actions.
With heavy eyes, we all headed to bed early in expectation of tomorrows journey to the Galápagos Islands.

8/6/2017
It began at 3 a.m. As we stumbled down the stairs, rushed through breakfast, and hurried onto the bus, everyone was beyond tired but excited far beyond belief! Today was the day our adventure began: we were on our way to the  Galápagos! We arrived at the airport – customs was a breeze, the U.S. should really take notes – we got to the plane with no problems and wait in anticipation for take off… We kept waiting…. and waiting… and waiting.  Some official looking people got on and talked to the pilot, then we had to disembark.  A couple hours passed then we were back on our way,  excitement unaffected by the delay.
Once on the islands we hopped on a bus and took a boat from island to island, finally arriving at Isla Isabela. Most everyone slept.
The islands have beauty beyond belief, and not in the way one would expect. Where jungle was expected desert was delivered, and the towns had a simple elegance of a beautiful balance between humans and nature. Our guides are extraordinary and the food was amazing! We all are looking to the adventures we will have in the days to come.
Isabel Cohen
Joseph Schmitz

 

8/7/2017
Alex Fortin and Meadow Beckett-Cook
Today was our first service day and experience of a Galápagos ecosystem. We walked to wasp infested mangroves to a shallow beach where we saw blue footed boobies, penguins, marine iguanas, pelicans, and sea lions. We then walked back to town and stopped for home made ice cream. After that, we returned to the hostel and got ready for our first day on the service project. We pulled invasive species of plants while working amongst the giant tortoises. After a few hours of work, we ended the day by playing a soccer match in a nearby field.
8/8/2017
Jeffrey Sullivan, Emily Evangelakos
Today we snorkeled and saw white tip sharks, reef sharks, sea turtles, and swam with sea lions. Afterward, we walked back to the hostal and got ready for service. Once we got to the site we were able to finally finish the project and enjoyed passion fruit afterward. Finally, we headed back feeling accomplished and content to dinner.
8/9/2017
Edward Evangelakos
Amelia McCarthy
In the morning we went to the Tortoise Sanctuary which was really cool. We saw two kinds of tortoises, which were from two different volcanoes on the island. We saw ones that were a lot older as well as the little baby ones (including a 3-month-old tortoise; it was smaller than my hand!). After that, we walked back into town and we all spent our time wandering a little bit or back at the hotel.  In the afternoon, we hiked a volcano. It was incredible to see the huge crater. The first half of the hike was a little up hill and then flat along a dirt road. We stopped at a few view points and at the third, we took a thirty-minute span of time to just chill and look at our surroundings. The second half we spent hiking back to our starting point. We hiked up, and then right back down. The downhill was probably the most difficult part of the hike, mostly because it was slippery mud and it was misting out. Overall, the hike took around three hours and it was nice and not overly difficult. For the rest of the night, we just hung out at the hotel, listening to music and playing cards or reading. The day was very pleasant and to add to it, we’re getting our laundry done, which is pretty exciting and necessary at this point.
8/10/2017
Danielle Johnson & Carsun Hall
We woke up at 7:30 to a wonderful breakfast made just for us!
After a 30 minute drive, we arrived at a Esperanza, which is a school in the mountains of Isabela Island.
We repainted the walls and had a blast doing it! Then we played soccer and basketball with some of the adorable children at the school. The children were super sweet and we loved hanging with them!
We then came back to Home Base to a scrumptious meal, and after we were finally finished we left for the beach. Our task was to create a fictional animal and how we would preserve and protect that animal. Finally, this activity was followed by free time in the town and a group activity.
The day ended with another wonderful dinner and an amazing group activity!
8/11/2017
RJ Schreck and Nick Fostera,
Today, we woke up very early and caught a boat to Floreana Island. We arrived at 9:30 and hiked a little bit to an ocean Lookout. We then snorkeled for about an hour, seeing both giant sea turtles and sting rays. Finally, we had lunch and took a 3-hour boat ride to San Cristóbal where we explored the town before we took a bus up to the home base and prepared for the first night in San Cristóbal.
8/12/2017
Grace Coxworth
Eitan Goodman
We had an amazing day! We started out first with service where we had to cut blackberry bushes with machetes, plant new trees, and clean up the area. Tactfully, some people wielded the long blades, careful not to cut themselves, while others planted small trees in an attempt to restore the endemic wildlife. After a grueling day of hard work, we traveled down to the beach to finally relax. Then we concluded our day out by taking a stroll into town. There, we devoured the wonderful native foods and purchased souvenirs for our loved ones. In all, it was a wonderful day,  and we can’t wait to have much more.
8/13/2017

We woke up bright and early at 7 and ate a nutritious breakfast to prepare for some serious service. Our service for the day was clearing out non native plants and planting new ones. We (the leaders of the day) started a game of infection for our break.

After service, we ate a delicious lunch and prepared for snorkeling. While snorkeling we saw a bunch of cool sea life like sea turtles and sea lions. We also survived the sea lion trying to eat us. We got some town time and ate a TON of empanadas because they opened up just for us.

After a fun filled day we headed back to base and played cards. For dinner we had rice, omelets and veggies with delicious fresh juice. Our after dinner activity was an informative video followed by a discussion. We were all super tired so went straight to bed after a long day.

-Beth and Elias

8/14/2017
Today we finished our service work for the trip, we work at home base in the tree nursery, we helped plant baby trees and potted bags of dirt. We then went to a beach, a few of us went snorkeling and saw some sea turtles, while most of us played games on the beach.
We then had our last town time. After town time we had a massive feast at home base, and we then played trivia and had s’mores, which was a great way to end off the trip.
-Val and Hannah
8/15/2017
We have some new photos to share with you all!
 8/16/2017

As the sun sets on this once in a life time adventure, tears and memories come flooding out like the ocean tide on a Galapagos beach. On this trip every single child’s life has been transformed for the better. We conserved habitats, hiked up monumental mountains and swam in encapsulating lagoons. We made intimate connections with the wildlife and were exposed to the wonders of the natural world.

The group bonded into one impenetrable kaleidoscope. Everybody brought their unique perspective and we melded into an inseparable stew of personalities. We laughed together, we cried together, we had conversations that transcended intellectual and philosophical forces. The culture here spread to our souls like a wildfire traversing through the cold yet beautiful spectacle of the wilderness.

The food was decadent and mouthwatering. All of us became overjoyed at the thought of having a meal together. Around the table was the place where we shared our experiences and became more than just teens on a trip. We became a community, a tightly knitted quilt of friendship. On our last day in Quito we visited the equator, which is the line that separates the northern and southern hemispheres. We were entranced by the sights of ancient native artifacts and delighted by stories about a culture that lived long before us.

Later that day, we went to the market and shopped. We explored the market which was a colorful explosion of authentic items hand crafted by the local artisans. Everybody bought souvenirs and gifts so the experience of this trip will live on into the future journeys of our life. We then did some final games and activities, all wearing the colorful fabrics and clothing we purchased from the aforementioned visit to the market.

Our last dinner together was bittersweet. Teats gently drooped down our faces as we realized that our farewell was soon to come yet we found solace in an emotional discussion of the time we had and the comical moments that made us laugh because they were humorous. Everybody said there goodbyes or how they say in Ecuador, “ADIOS”. We were sullen that this transcendental journey was over but ready for the adventures to come in our individual lives, no matter what they may be. The lessons learned on this trip will stick with us like sap fresh from a Galapagos tree.

-William Stern, William Spencer and many others

 

8/17/2017

The final few students are on their way to the airport, most of the group is arriving to the USA and their families momentarily and, finally, it is time to close up the summer in the Galápagos.

Session 4 and all its wonderful, hard working, thoughtful and entertaining students was the perfect way to cap off an extraordinary experience in the islands.

Thank you to every student that made this session so memorable and thank you to all the families, friends and loved ones that made this trip possible.

From the entire Galápagos team, thanks for an awesome session!

-Suzannah

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GALAPAGOS – Preserving Nature’s Wonders A – July 19 – August 1, 2017

July 20, 2017
Suzannah Crandall a diario Sam Barbagallo

Everyone made it! After a long day of travel and multiple delayed flights, everyone was finally in bed by 2am.

This morning, although tired, there is an incredible amount of energy and lots of laughter.
We are super excited for the next two weeks with this group!

7/20/2016
Suzannah Crandall

Orientation, a winged virgin, traipsing along the cobblestone streets of Quito, a golden church and a chocolate making lesson were all highlights of our first full day together in Ecuador.

After sleeping in a bit this morning, we launched into exploring everyone’s expectations for the next two weeks and reviewing expectations for the trip.  After a delicious lunch at home base, we headed up the hill (literally) and took in an impressive view of the city from the balcony at the Panecillo.  Our next stop was to the Compañía de Jesus church which is famous for its golden walls and incredible carvings.  Finally, we satisfied our sweet tooth with some ice cream and some hand made chocolate.  After dinner, we capped off the evening by talking about how to incorporate leadership skills into everyday acts of leadership and doing final packing.
We will be up early to head for the islands so its off to bed.  More to come very soon…

July 21st, 2017

Authors: Adrián Clayton and Zoe Camporaso

Today we awoke in Quito at sunrise. We then boarded a plane to Baltra and drove through volcanic plains covered in cacti. When we arrived at a dock a blue heron was standing near the clearest water many of us have ever seen. The scenery changed from dry and sparse to green when we crossed the channel. We then took a 2 hour boat ride in crazy waves and saw dolphins and some stingrays.  Arriving on Isabela Island was really cool because we saw sea lions and the famous iguanas.

 

 

July 22, 2017
Parker Holt and Ben Kessler
We had a fabulous day! We saw sea lions, sea turtles, tortoises, and blue footed boobies. We snorkeled with fish, sea lions, and sharks. Then for service we pulled the bad weeds for the tortoises and ended the day with a game of fútbol with the locals.
July 23, 2017
Today our group started off the day with a nice stroll through the mangroves and waded through the clear fresh water delta. This activity ended up being surrounded by pelicans and blue footed boobies. We ended the beautiful morning with a pleasant walk along the powdered sand beach. After lunch, we continued our service with the tortoises and continued to pick weeds making their habitat more comfortable.
7/24/2017
Harry Katz and Alice Nobles
Today’s adventure was a trip to the tortoise breeding center on Isabella Island where we saw tortoises of all ages, from babies to ancient tortoises. Later in the day we climbed Volcan Sierra Negra where we watched clouds roll over the caldera.
7/25/2017
Jayden Lyon
Hannah gold
Today we went to a school and repainted it. We took breaks to play soccer with the kids. We then took the bus back to the hotel to have lunch. We walked to the beach after lunch. There we learned about evolution and Charles Darwin. In addition, we played a game where we got to create our own organism and its characteristics. Then we swam in the ocean and tanned. Afterwards, We were given the option to walk around town or hangout at the hotel.
7/26/2017
Manzie Tio Allen
Nathan Petryk
Today we traveled from Isabela to Floreana to go snorkeling and to eat lunch, and later to San Cristóbal. On Floreana we saw sea turtles, puffer fish, and a baby sea lion. After eating lunch on Floreana, we took a three hour boat ride to San Cristóbal Island. We spent an hour and a half eating at a bunch of different cafes and shopping for souvenirs. At 5:30 PM we took a bus to Finca Esperanza which is where we are sleeping for four nights. There are many spiders and most of the group is very scared.
7/27/2017
Lucy Duke and Ben Pampush
Today we started service working with machetes cutting down invasive species in the mountains. The view was amazing! Then we had lunch and headed to the beach to swim and saw a ton of sea lions sunbathing! Afterwards, we had time in the town to eat, shop, and hang out. Tired from the day, we headed to home base for a delicious dinner.
7/31/2017

Olivia Hymowitz and Bryce Herald

Throughout the course of our trip to the Galápagos Islands, we have taken in the culture, food, and exotic sights and we surely will never forget it. Whether it be snorkeling in freezing water with borderline territorial sea lions or planting trees on a rainy mountainside to better indigenous bird species, we have all personally grown and simultaneously learned that we are a very small spec in the huge world around us. However, this doesn’t mean we can’t make a difference; one blister at a time.

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GALAPAGOS – Preserving Nature’s Wonders B – July 10 – July 23, 2017

Hey there from Quito!
All of our group have arrived safely with a few flight delays along the way which left everyone pretty tired. Today we learned about our programme and are about to set off and explore Quito. Will keep you posted!

-Eimear, International Director


July 12, 2017

After spending two days in Quito we said adiós to mainland Ecuador and continued our journey to the archipelago known as the Galápagos. Most of today was spent traveling, we started our day at 5am and headed for the airport and flew to Isla Baltra. Once we arrived we took a small boat to Isla Santa Cruz and then hopped on a bus for an informational ride to our next boat. The boat ride was long and fun for most of the campers but made a few sick. We eveintually arrived at Isla Isabela where we immediately were immersed in wild life such as large iguanas and friendly sea lions. The animals on the islands are not bothered by the people whatsoever and is reminiscent of something out of National Geographic. We settled into our hotel and took a small tour of the town and watched a beautiful sunset on the beach and ate a delicious meal. We are all looking forward to the rest of our journey and service and will continue to keep you updated.

-Spencer McNeely


July13, 2017

We woke up at 7 and had breakfast and went on a walk to the wetlands where we saw iguanas and saw sea lions in the water. We went swimming just a few feet away from a few sea lions in a pool that was part fresh water and part salt water. We also walked into a dark cave that was filled with water. We walked back and had lunch at the hotel and then we went to service in Campo Duro. We worked on getting rid of invasive species for the tortoises in the reservation. We pulled weeds and cut down trees to make space for the plants that the tortoises feed on. After service we played soccer with our group and then we came to back to the hotel to eat dinner before having mentor groups and going to bed.
Grace H and Grant

 

July 7th, 2017

Today we were awoken by some lovely outdoor noises including a rooster with a set of lungs and lots of construction. After breakfast the group went to a school to repaint it. We had to sand the walls and exterminate all cob webs, which Alek took control of due to being 6’5″. Then we started painting both the inside and the outside of the story room. Afterwards, we played soccer with the local students and drove them home. After lunch, we went in groups to the beach and to explore the town- everyone had a wonderful time playing in the waves and spending money (sorry mom). Later we played a soccer game against the best local team. The first game against people of similar age resulted in our failure, however we did succeed in beating the 10 year olds. We then returned to home base for a home cooked meal and ended our day on the terrace.

~ Alek & Sammi

 

 

 

We woke up our peers with a motivating message-crazy frog, the most inspiring song in the whole world. Once everyone had arisen, we began our joruney with a healthy & nutritious breakfast. Fueled up & ready to rumble, the youngin’s put on their life jackets & hopped on in that water. As they drifted together using the buddy system, they safely maneuvered through the crystal clear waters of the galapagos. They encountered many new aquatic beings, including but not limited to sea lions, turtles, reef sharks, fish, penguins, & the occasional wild tourist drifting around with their gopros. Once we were all tuckered out, we began our treck back to the tortoise sanctuary-who had some bomb lemonde may I add. As the leaders of the day Hailey & Abigail supported their family by reminding them to HYDRATE & reapply sunscreen. Even though yesterdays leaders were very negative towards our methods of leading-they eventually appreciated our ways and took notes in case they were ever leaders again. We peacefully hand over our torch to Lily & Grace D. who will also be better than Nicholas Robert Daniel Triggs & Isidoro Anderson John Giles Bento.

 

 

July 19, 2017

After a long 2 hour boat ride to Floreana from Isabella island consisting of massive waves and nauseas stomachs, then snorkeling in crystal clear waters, while some decided to bask in the sun on the black sand beaches. While snorkeling, our group encountered lots of sea turtles. After staying at floreana for 2 and a half hours, we then set off for San cristobal island. After arriving at San Cristobal, our group had the opportunity to explore the town for an hour. Then We took a bus to our hotel in the highlands!

Grace D and Lilly

 

(There is very low connectivity, it will get better in the coming days. More pictures soon)

 

Day 10:

Day 10 arrived with the induction of Kate Uray and Colee Zheng as GLA leaders of the day. They were immediately inducted into the hall of fame for being some bomb leaders. We started off our morning at 6:15 am and woke up our fellow GLA members to nurturing care and unconditional love. Being the dynamic duo we are, Kate gave out caramel candies to people that answered the wake up call while Colee pillaged the rest of the group with the endless supply of horse poop she gathered from the service hikes. We had a beautiful breakfast of banana pancakes, toast, cereal, granola and fruit (all imported from the Galápagos Islands). Some people opted for the alternative of downing the entire Nestle hot chocolate package, but hey, we don’t judge.

In order to get to service, we trekked up the side of a mountain range in our sneakers and hiking boots that we wore on the bus. As we descended the steps of the bus, each of us grabbed a machete and a plant to later be planted in the shape of the GLA Leaders of the Days faces. Working swiftly, we de-mossed and cleared around 20 trees. Finally, the rest of the group put on their work gloves and joined in. After being encompassed by the amazing mountain top view, our service ended with a hike down towards the lodge followed by a delicious lunch consisting of popcorn drizzled with soup, rice, lentils, salad, and something that wasn’t vegan.

We then brushed up on our extensive knowledge of Galapagonean Evolution (?) by visiting a museum that was on the same path as our snorkeling spot. Although the best GLA Leaders of the Day have a reputation of being punctual, we decided to allot some of our time so that the group could enjoy a gorgeous view of the endless ocean horizon and the docks of San Cristobal.

Snorkeling was especially risky but nothing was too much for the GLA Leaders. Always putting our team before us, we individually carried each GLA member down the slippy stairs and into the water where we spotted sea lions, sea turtles, and schools of fish.

We then walked into town where people were allowed to shop for souvenirs or dine at San Cristobals finest restaurants. After a long day, the grind had to come to a stop with a delicious, generous dinner provided by the La Soledad staff accompanied by an adorable, friendly dog.

After dinner, Colee stayed at home base cause the grind never ends. Meanwhile, Kate valiantly went out to represent her state at a soccer tournament with those daring enough to play. Shane and Nick were given the honor of team captains and split the teams up. Shane was lucky enough to have the opportunity to play with Kate on his team. Her rock solid defense even earned her the nickname “The Great Wall of New Jersey”. A few of the locals tried to face her, joining the teams. Alas, they failed like all the others. Feeling pity and caught up in the beautiful view of the Galapagos, Kate decided to let Nick’s team score the last goal and win (though the score will clearly indicate Shane/Kate’s team the victors).

Back at base, Kate bravely fought off every bug scheming in the GLA members room. What a gal. After the best day of the trip so far for everyone, Kate and Colee handed their crown off the Liza and Melissa. History will remember this.

 

Day 12

Even though we were still mourning the loss of Abi’s spider babies, we made the best out of day 11. We started off the day with a new meal: ham and cheese sandwiches for our 7:00 breakfast. After breakfast, we had a workshop. We began by watching an eye-opening documentary about the effects of plastics in this age and on future generations. Diana and Eimear set up a “Shark Tank” activity where we were put in groups and presented ideas about how we could solve the problem of plastic. When we finished the activity, we went to tree nursery at home base for service. Some people set up planting stations, some prepared soil for the trees, others watered the plants, and we all helped move them in the end. It was a smooth process over all, with a few bumps along the way in the form of spiders. After a quick pasta lunch, we headed to the beach, where most tanned alongside countless sea lions and a few swam with sea turtles.

 

After about an hour, everyone headed into town, and people split up to get food, shop for souvenirs, and explore the town. Most met up around 5:30 at an amazing donut shop to try the famous caramel filled chocolate glazed donuts, which were cheap and delicious. At 5:45, we took a bus back to home base for a barbecue dinner! Dinner today was the most unique because everybody got to split one big Galapa-lobster. After everyone settled after dinner, we gathered around a bonfire and each person shared one of their favorite memories from the trip. After all the laughs and nostalgia, our awesome mentors surprised us with s’mores! Sadly, we had to end today with packing and wrapping up our time on the islands, but everyone has lots of great memories to bring home!

-Melissa and Eliza

July 21st

Today wasn’t much of an eventful day. After many mixed emotions, the group reluctantly yet cheerfully departed from our spider and bug infested hotel. After last night’s bonfire, many of us cherished the memories we shared on the islands as we walked from the terminal gate to the plane outside, and set off on our voyage back to the capital of Ecuador. Our time together is dwindling down, and as the first one to leave (with a flight at 1am on the 23rd), I can easily say relishing the time with my peers for the last time is a very difficult task. Though tomorrow is a new, exciting day adventuring throughout the streets of Quito, many of us dread the parting goodbyes of that night. However, we cannot forget that GLA has taught us not to dwell in the relics and memories of old adventures, but to smile for the stories we can cherish, and the beginning of new chapters. We do not cry because it is over, but smile because it happened.

Russell Wong

 

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GALAPAGOS – Preserving Nature’s Wonders A – July 3 – July 16, 2017

 

July 3, 2017

They made it! Everyone arrived tired but excited to start their two week adventure in the Galápagos. After a late dinner and some quick introductions, everyone headed to bed.

Tomorrow we will start the day with orientation and then explore the city in the afternoon.

July 4, 2017

Written by Suzannah Crandall

We had a great first day exploring Quito, learning about the chocolate making process and getting oriented for our next few weeks on the Galápagos.

After a morning of going over program details and getting to know a bit more about each other, we headed to Quito’s old town region. We had the opportunity to tour some gold adorned churches and learn about Ecuadorian history as we wandered along cobblestone streets. The afternoon ended sweetly with a fun demonstration and tasting from a local chocolate producer.

Before dinner a few of us took part in some good old fashioned face painting to observe the 4th of July holiday in the states.  We also did an activity to define leadership and brainstorm ways we could be everyday leaders and impact those around in simple ways.

After a delicious dinner and a dessert of fresh strawberries, we met in our mentor groups and then did some final repacking.

Tomorrow we head to the islands. Communication can be tough once we hit the Galápagos but we will try to keep you up to date on all the fun adventures we are having.

July 5, 2017

Written by Addie Caplinger and Krisjanis Reks

Bus-> Plane-> bus-> boat – > bus – > boat – > truck

Today was a LOT. Through throwing up and sweat we traversed the Ecuadorian countryside and Pacific ocean. We entered the Galápagos today and were immediately greeted by sea lions and iguanas. By driving across the islands it was if we had entered a new world, one designed by Michael Crichton.

July 6, 2017

Written by Tim Donovan

Today we woke up at 7 am and went down to eat breakfast. After breakfast we all went down to the water and went kayaking. However, it doesn’t stop there. We tied our kayaks one by one onto a rope and jumped into the water. Even though we are in a tropical place, the water was kinda chilly but what we saw made it worth while. During snorkeling we saw a turtle, blue footed boobies, PENGUINS, and there were also an abundance of sea lions. We say all of this despite the fact that the water was murky from the storm the day before.  Even though this already sounds like a full day, I still have more to talk about. So after the beach we had some free time to relax and do whatever we wanted. Suzannah brought us to her well vouched for ice cream place. It was all home made and it was absolutely life changing. Again, it doesn’t stop there. We then walked maybe 6 feet from the ice cream place over to the beach. And this beach along with basically any other ones on the island, was completely breathtaking. Sitting with everyone watching the bright aqua water crash on the beach and turn snow white really brought us all to a different state of mind. Everything seemed so perfect and relaxing. It was so amazing. And I really couldn’t ask for a better group to share these moments with. So after our free time we came back to the hotel and got ready for our second adventure of the day. And let me remind you this all went down before noon. After everyone packed up and got their work clothes on we were all blessed to go pull invasive  species of plants in the giant tortoise pen. These tortoises were described to us as being only like the size of a puppy because they were only 15 years old, but they seemed like giants. We worked very hard on pulling these weeds to help benefit the tortoises. For dinner we had fish curry and ended the night with mentor meetings.

July 7, 2017

Written by Ava P.

Today was such a fun day. To switch it up we spent the morning volunteering at a local school. There were only FIVE students that attended and they were there to help us repaint their school. We took a break in between to play a game of soccer with the kids, and after that they were really excited to paint and be with us. It was really rewarding at the end to see what we did to help their education. We returned for lunch and afterward went down to the beach and swam. The water was freezing but it was worth it. The afternoon was free, so everyone walked around town and shopped around and it was super nice to just spend time with everyone. Overall, it was a great day!

July 8, 2017

Written by Nick Ashworth

We started the day by heading to the tortoise breeding center and learned about the tortoises and why they are being protected. After we has tortoise time we walked back to town and explored for a couple hours. When the bus finally arrived we hopped on and headed for the volcano. The trip up the volcano was not difficult and the view we had was amazing. As we neared the top we began to hunt for guavas and a couple of us (including our guide Fernando) tried for at least a half hour to catch a wild chicken so we could bring it back to town and eat it. Sadly we lost the chicken in the brush.

Once we got back to town we were all exhausted and ready for bed but we couldn’t go to sleep on an empty stomach, so we made our way down to the kitchen and ate eggs, rice, hotdogs, and potatoes. After dinner we gathered in the terrace and reflected on the day.

 

7/11-7/12/2017

Written by Michael Nemez and Chloe Little

Yesterday was a long day of travel and fun. We started our day with breakfast and a 2 hour boat ride to Floreana island. There, we snorkeled with sea turtles, sat on the beach, and ate lunch. It was quite relaxing. After lunch we took a 3 hour boat ride to San Cristobal island and our second home base. We had some free time in the village and then headed up the hill to our new home. After a delicious dinner, we watched a great movie and just relaxed.
Today we went to the beach and sunbathed with the sea lions. Afterwards, we went snorkeling. The water was crystal clear, and we were able to see many fish, sea turtles, sea snakes, and eels. After having lunch at Home Base, we started rebuilding a forested habitat. We cut down guava trees and blackberry bushes (both invasive)in order to restore the natural habitat.

 7/9/2017

Camryn Woods
Today was our last day on Isabela Island 🙁 This morning we woke up and took a nice long walk on the beach, once we got to the mangrove trees we were able to wade or swim through the trees and out into the ocean, the long walk was completely worth it! On the way back we climbed down into lava tunnels it was amazing! After we got back to town we had some free time until we left for Campo Duro… We had lunch then finished up the work for the turtles! We ended our outing with the traditional soccer game, tomorrow we have a travel day to Floreana then to our final destination, San Cristóbal!
Lilly Zoghlin
7-12-2017
Today was filled with excitement. We started the day by eating a delicious breakfast of crepes and granola. After breakfast we went to where Darwin first arrived, where we snorkeled! We saw sea lions, an octopus, and an eel. After we went to Darwin’s museum where we learned about his life and the history of the Galapagos. We saw a beautiful statue of Charles Darwin and the animals he studied. After the museum we walked into town for free time. We then ventured back to home base were we had lunch. Before our service work we were given free time at home base. Then after free time we walked up the mountain and continued our service work. We chopped up trees and made piles of wood and leaves for decomposition. We then walked down the mountain to dinner at home base. We watched a super woke, educational movie on conservation. After we killed some spiders and went to bed:)
7/14-7/15/2017
Bella Tulauskas and the rest of the dope Galapagos crewOn the 14th we had a travel day back to Quito and unlike the other travel days, all it took was a plane ride. All of us were very tired so we just hung out at the hotel for the day. On the 15th, the final day, we had quite an exciting day and we got lit in Quito. To start off, we journeyed to the equator. We not only got to stand on the equator, but we also got to learn about indigenous cultures. On the equator, we tried walking in a straight line and balancing eggs on nails; Ade was the only was who was able to balance the egg and received an official certificate of great esteem. After our equilateral adventure, we were off to salsa dancing. After learning six basic steps and putting them together, we were basically professionals. Ava and Bella danced the best when we were doing the couple dancing. They should have gotten recruited by the owner of the studio to be on the dance team. We ate lunch at a restaurant called Crepes and Waffles and ate crepes and waffles; we also had ice cream after. Then we walked to a market and were able to bargain for alpaca blankets and socks. After our exciting day we played Galapagos trivia and had dinner at the hotel. Despite all of the strange blog posts we have written, we have had a truly amazing trip. The skills we learned will benefit our future and the memories and friendships we made ill last a lifetime. See you soon.

Final Blog
Suzannah Crandall
Sam Barbagallo

By now everyone has made it home and is settling back into their normal routines.  From our end, we just want to thank every student from this group for an amazing two weeks!  Laughter, tears and ridiculous jokes made this session an incredibly rewarding one!

Thank you for all your hard work and positivity!

Abrazos a todos.

by

GALAPAGOS – Preserving Nature’s Wonders B – June 24 – July 7, 2017

Hey there from Quito!

We all arrived safe and sound yesterday, and got settled into our hotel. We had dinner of soup and pasta and then headed to bed, exhausted from the days travels. Today we are learning about the programme for the morning, and will be out and about exploring Quito for the afternoon. Will keep you posted 🙂

June 27, 2017

Today was a very busy day. We woke up at 3 AM to begin our journey to the Galápagos. We rode a bus to the airport and then got a plane to Baltra Island. We got off then we took two boats to Isabella Island. As soon as we arrived, a saw a variety of wildlife: Pelicans, boobies, penguins, sea lions, iguanas and crabs. After that, we went to the beach and learned about the islands from our tour guides. We had a really nice dinner and we are all very tired. I am looking forward to snorkelling with the sea creatures and doing service work with the group.

This has been Alejandro…signing off!

June 27, 2017

We had an incredible day today and we had our first full day of activities. On our trail hike this morning we saw several  marine iguanas, finches, cacti, a horse, pelicans and at the end of the hike we enjoyed local homemade ice cream. In the afternoon we started our service at camp Duro, where we cleared weeds for the giant tortoise’s habitats. We were lucky enough to have seen many tortoises, and even at the end of service played a exciting game of soccer. We’re very lucky to have had amazing food so far, and have even enjoyed playing with the locals puppy. We can’t wait to explore more of this beautiful island.

-Abby Baughan and Julia Barkan

June 28, 2017

¡Hola! Today was a really good day. The day started off at 12 AM, when Siena had a traumatic sleep talk experience due to her immense amount of anxiety she apparently had for the day of leading. Sofie doesn’t remember much, expect siena asking how she should lead and if the past leaders were any good. Sofie kindly responded with mhm mhm mhm…that soon put Siena back to her deep slumber. Finally their alarm went off at 6:30 in that morning and they woke the group up PROMPTLY at 6:45. Sofie may or may not have knocked on the wrong door….. As usual, all the travelers got up, got ready for the day and headed down to breakfast. The breakfast was amazing: crepes with syrup and granola, croissants with guava marmalade and butter, the usual hot drinks and a delicious fresh-squeezed tangerine juice. After breakfast we all headed to the harbor for snorkeling and kayaking. We split into two groups, one group went with Gustavo and the other with Angel. Despite the strong current, the rare wildlife made snorkeling worth it. One minute you were swimming staring down at schools of fish and the next a sea lion was diving right in front of your eyes. Since angel’s group ended early, they had time to explore the beach some more and check out the mangrove trees. Gustavo’s group kayaked first, they saw Blue-footed Boobies, Penguins and even a sea turtle!!! As his group headed back to the shore, a pair of kids had managed to capsize the kayak on a large wave. Once both groups both kayaked and snorkeled they walked back into town towards their hotel. On the way to the hotel they jammed out to some music and stoped at a local shop to buy some ice cream. It began to drizzle outside, it felt refreshing considering the humidity. Arriving back to the hotel, they only had a minute to get ready for service. We had lunch at the worksite, they served us SORT OF tuna, rice, lentil soup and a cabbage salad. The fish tasted so fresh we were all so happy because we had been famished from this mornings many activities. Today’s service consisted of work to further conserve the Tortoise’s habitats. We pulled weeds, picked some fresh passion fruit and guava, and cleared the grounds of anything invasive. We also re-planted some bamboo in the dirt as food for the tortoises. The tortoises are so cute, Sofie named one Tina. Like yesterday, we finished the day with a fun soccer game. Who would’ve known that Hokan is a true soccer legend….?!?? It was all fun and games until it started down pouring on us. At this point, we decided it was time to head home. The ride was so relaxing, everyone had their headphones in and enjoyed the scenery as the wind from the open car cooled them down. Arriving back to home base, it was pretty late. We ate a hearty dinner that consisted of pumpkin soup and popcorn, beef, mashed potatoes and rice. We all are extremely exhausted and couldn’t be more excited to get comfortable in our beds. Today was an amazing day and although we won’t be working with the tortoises anymore, we are excited for the adventures to come.

Much love, missing everyone…
Sofie and Siena (s^2)

P.S. popcorn in pumpkin soup are really good, don’t make any assumptions !

June 29, 2017

Hike to Sierra Negra this afternoon with mud and rain though the group is in super great mood. Plenty of birds like Darwin finches, Warbler Finch and Flycatchers

Hakan
 
June 30, 2017

The day began at seven with a wonderful breakfast: crepes, croissants, and fresh fruit. We then headed off to the service site, an elementary school consisting of five children. The lack of children in the school causes the government to often overlook it. We went to the school to help update it. There we were split up into three groups, one group had the task of painting windows, another painting the classroom, and the last had to pull weeds and plant trees. After an hour we switched the station, everyone participated in each task. After this we played soccer and other games with the children. The bus came at 12, we then headed back to the base. Upon arrival we were able to clean up and head down for lunch where we had pasta salad, plantains, and rice. After lunch there was a meeting on the terrace where a skills market was completed. This is when you write down a skill you can offer and a skill that you can seek. After this we taught and learned many skills from one another. Some of the newly learned skills were counting in mandarin, yoga, playing a tin whistle, and drawing a cartoon Gandhi. Once these skills were shared and learned we all had time to relax. Some people went to the beach, others went to town, while some slept. While in town many were provided the opportunity to buy bread from a local bakery and converse with the locals. At 7 everyone reported downstairs for dinner, this consisted of fried rice and plantain chips. After dinner we went over the schedule for tomorrow and talked about what we have accomplished and further goals. We are currently all waiting for our laundry so we are able to pack and get a good night´s rest for our day of travel tomorrow!

Jordan C and Janie H
July 4, 2017
Sup parents, kids, and kids who wanna join the Galapagos club! Sofie and Daken had a great day today, we were the leaders!!!!
Today was one of the sunniest/hottest days we have had on San Cristobal. Last night was a little rough, while Sofie was trying to enjoy a nice shower, a large rude spider showed up right above her head…GREAT!!! Obviously, we sprayed that nasty bug with the evil demon spray we had but sadly we couldn’t go back into the bathroom for 10 minutes. Well shampoo-filled-hair sofie was annoyed to say the least. Moving on….
The morning started with Sofie’s phone blasting music at 6:15, LMAO when Daken told her 50 she heard 15, breakfast was at 7:30 sooooo BACK TO BED! Finally, after a quick snoooozer the lovely, lavish, prestigious, gorgeous, hilarious, hard-working leaders woke up the rest of the wolf pack to start their day with a heartwarming and healthy breakfast….which consisted of ham and cheese toasted sandwiches, cut up bananas and apples, half/half tasting juice, and the usual hot water with chocolate milk powder or coffee. After breakfast, the troop moseyed on over (3 steps on over) to the Green House of the Volunteer Home where we put soil in plant bag holders and picked invasive weeds from the grounds while witnessing Sir Lancelot (the white Labrador) and Lord Farquad (the brown German Sheppard) battle to the death. Work went from 8-12, throughout work Carlos took a couple groups of kids to get sticks to help with the growth of the plant and to pack soil. During work, Sofie and Daken executed a brilliant game thoughtfully brought up by one of their peers, such game was referred to us “hobble”. After work the children took quick catnaps before the mouth-watering FRESH lobster ceviche lunch with lentils and rice…of course. Said children were then ushered unto our bus to our next destination, LA PLAYA!!! This afternoon was a beach day!
On the way to the beach, our bus tragically suffered a flat tire. Thankfully, a new magic bus showed up minutes later to carry us off towards the shining sea. BIG NEWS: when arriving to the beach, Gustavo, brought his adorable beagle on his blue moped. The beach was quite a ways away, the hike was short but rocky. The modest flip-flops we told our friends to wear were not the move…It was okay though, because the view from the beach was totally worth it: hot sun on the horizon, tanning sea lions, and dinosaur-like iguanas. Everyone was exhausted from such a long day of work…ha….immediately after putting our stuff down, we passed out in the sun like the smelly sea lions next to us. Sleeping in the sun felt soooo good and relaxing until a slightly injured momma sea lion slushed over and snuggled up next to Daken and her towel. Oh boy, Daken ran off like a little girl, that sea lion scared the heebie-jeebies out of her. Mother Nature then got the best of us and it started raining, which we obviously took as a sign to start our walk into town for free time!!!
In town, almost everyone sat down at a quaint hotel outdoor cafe and all ordered piZza!! Yaasss!!! We were all so excited to eat American food, because ya kno today is the best day ever….THE 4th OF JULYYYY!!!!!! 🍕🍚💧🌺☁️🌊🦀🐚🦋 (sofie’s interpretation of Galapagos style red white and blue emojis). Free time was not as long as usual today because we had a special barbecue waiting for us at homebase!! When arriving back to base we were welcomed with a small but mighty bonfire and the sweeeeeet smelll of BBQ!!! Immediately before dinner was ready, Eimear and some adventurers (obviously including Daken and Sofie) went off to find a high spot for a dope view of the sunset. 6 minutes up the road later, we found an abandoned church on the top of a hill with a clear view of the beautiful purple and orange sunset. The steep uphill to the top of the church was well worth it. We then returned to feast.
Dinner was dellleeeeciiiiouuuss, we had grilled chicken, rice, and a refreshing cucumber citrus salad. After dinner we all ran into room 4 and watched Carlos kill the massive spider that was creeping above Mary’s bed. Oh snap, Siena almost jumped outta her pants…she is petrified of spiders. Daken, as sweet as she is, picked up the s’mores supplies in town so after dinner we all cozied up around the bonfire with our nature sticks and roasted some golden/burnt marshmallows to pair with our sweet crackers (closest thing they had to graham crackers) and chocolate. It was nice, everyone together we all bonded, over a s’more! We love that! Gonna miss this rustic lil home we have nestled ourselves into the past 4 nights.
Gustavo made the most heartfelt goodbye slideshow for all of us to watch. Most were selfies of him and pictures of the wildlife that Siena captured on her camera. It was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for us!!!! Thank you Gustavo!! We are all going to miss him and Angel so much. Thank goodness they are sending us off tomorrow because none of had our proper goodbyes tonight!!!! Tomorrow we are goin to Quito! I wonder if they make Burritos! I might get myself a bag of Fritos. (Poem by Sofie Harb) Well, that’s all folks, kudos to you if you read this whole thing. See ya on the flip side (3 days) or not depending on if we just wanna stay here and become locals…..
Muchas gracias por escucharnos,
Sofie😇 Harb and Daken😈 Gulbransen
The best leaders a flock of young weird energetic hilarious jolly teens could ever ask for!
 P.S. enclosed are pictures of service, Julia wearing knee-high socks for no reason on the hottest day here and then saying it was for the 4th, the Green House, the town of San Cristobal, la playa, the massive spider above Mary’s bed, the soothing sunset, our warm bonfire and the intruding sea lion.

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