The Final Blog post !! :(

  

 Instead of writing about our boring day of traveling which consisted of two bus rides a 5-minute ferry ride and a plane ride. We decided to share all of our favorite memories to close out our last full day together! Enjoy the short collection of our memories. 

Alex 🧜‍♀️

I can’t believe this trip has flown by as fast as it did! Looking back on this month, there are so many things I would love to share on this last blog post. From the relationships I’ve made to the many memories and funny moments that have (transpired). On this post I will share a memory that has stood out to me though, I dare say my favorite memory. Our free day on Isabela was filled with adventure and relaxation. Isabela had amazing natural beauty and such a relaxing atmosphere. We started the day by stopping at a bakery and I got an amazing cinnamon roll. Then also got some snacks for the beach at a local convenience store. We then made our way to the beach and picked a secluded spot where there wasn’t another living soul except us and the wildlife. It was the perfect spot for an exceptional beach day. I first started my beach day by taking a dip in the ocean, which was crystal clear, and Kendall and I might have played mermaids… I then set out my towel in the sand and relaxed and read my book. I was in pure bliss. After a long afternoon at the beach, we made our way to a local spot on the beach. It was called the Pink Iguana, and it was such a chill place to hang out right on the beach. Everything here was also pink, which was adorable! This was a perfect beach day to me, and I will compare all my beach days to this one for years to come

Love, Alex Grell

Kendall 🛝

 

My favorite thing on our trip was getting to explore the playgrounds! I know that sounds super childish, but the playgrounds brought us all together and made us so many new memories. Our first playground we found after an accidental mile hike up the mountains in the search for a thermal pool. We played on the seesaws took a spin on a weird metal umbrella and hung on the monkey bars! We got to laugh and joke and really get to know everyone’s sense of humor a bit better. When we got to San Cristobal A couple of us stayed out late one night after eating some delicious ice-cream by the ocean front and decided to just walk and see where we would end up after walking down past all the souvenir shops we got to see all the bushes that were trimmed to look like Blue Footed Boobys, Sealions, and Galapagos tortoises. We then found a playground nobody was using since it was about 9 at night. After walking around and investigating the playground we decided to slide down the giant sealion the slide was super steep and fast so we had to be careful, but it was tons of fun and definitely one of my favorite memories! I loved being able to explore with my friends and discover something that was new to all of us!!

All the best – Kendall BettyAnn Filer

 

Ella 🦎

This trip has been filled with so many fun, exciting, and educational adventures! If I had to choose a favorite memory from our trip I would choose our second day in San Cristobal. We picked up our snorkel gear at Blue Evolution, and we did a guided educational tour about the islands history before we arrived at Darwin’s Bay to snorkel. Before I even got in the water I saw a marine iguana swimming, which I have never seen before since its endemic to the island. As a lizard lover, I was so excited and couldn’t believe it was swimming just using its tail. I immediately jumped in the water where I saw even more marine life, like sea turtles, sea lions, and a variety of tropical fish. It is a memory I will never forget, and I am so thankful I studied abroad because it was a once and a lifetime experience!

Buenas Noches! Ella Houston

 

 

Dacey🏄

Hey! I have been absolutely blown away by the diversity of the islands- we’ve gotten to see everything from ocean, mountains, and rainforest! Also, the locals were so friendly and willing to chat despite the language barrier. My favorite memory is getting to surf on the beach on Isabela Island and enjoy the clear blue water. I’ve loved how our group can joke about everything and anything (nothing is off limits). It’s been so fun to learn and explore in such a special place as the Galápagos!

 ¡Chao!  Dacey Dougherty

 

Dylan 🌋

Throughout our time in Ecuador, we traveled lots and experienced many different types of adventures. Many of these moments stood out to me because of their originality and their exciting factors. My most memorable experience was the day when we were in Isabela and climbed Sierra Negra and   Chico Volcano. I had only ever climbed mountains before and never a volcano which although had some similarities, they also had massive differences such as a drastic change in the environment at such a modest height. The lava tunnels were also a cool sight; being able to see where the pressure overcame the molten lava and breached to the surface creating very cool formations. The best part was that the hike wasn’t too physically demanding and really allowed everyone to enjoy the scenery and not just be too overwhelmed about the active part. Having the opportunity to experience the is with all my new friends really improved the overall feeling when reaching the top and overlooking all the way down the volcanic rocks to the ocean. I am so glad to have met all these amazing people and can’t wait for what the future holds for when we get back to Waco. 

-Dylan Wilson

Tanush 🐧

Hey guys!  It’s me, Tanush. For me, my favorite memory from this trip was the Tunnels Rock Cabo snorkeling excursion. The rock formations we saw were cool, and we also got to learn more about blue-footed boobies, like their mating calls and size differences between genders. I was also enthralled by the environment, how clear and blue the water was, and how it seemed to be the perfect temperature. My favorite part of the excursion was the animals, especially the penguins. It was my first time seeing animals like sharks, sea turtles, and penguins in person, and I’m so happy I was able to witness these beautiful creatures. Arriving back to the pier to see the flight of the blue-footed boobies was a beautiful sight and the perfect bookend to this day. This trip has been such a fun time, and I’m so blessed to have been given the opportunity to be here, thank you all so much for following along with our adventures. 

Hasta Luego!

Tanush M.

Liana 🦭

This trip has been so much fun! My favorite memory was when we snorkeled with the sea lions in the ocean off of San Cristobal. We got to see so many different marine animals including a bunch of colorful fish, turtles, and an eagle ray, but the sea lions were my favorite. They were so playful and would swim right beside us. Sometimes they would even swim directly at us then change direction at the last second! What surprised me the most on the trip was the friendliness of the people living in Ecuador and in the Galapagos. They were so kind to us, and even complete strangers would greet us and say hello. My biggest takeaway from the trip is a new perspective on research. I’ve learned that research doesn’t always have to be in a lab, but there are ways to still be involved in research that incorporate human interaction. I also experienced first-hand how detailed and specific research is. There are so many factors at play that need to be paid attention to and controlled in order to produce the best and most accurate results. Seeing how vital our research is and experiencing some of the struggles with obtaining that research has made me see researchers in a new light. I hold them in higher respects, and I want to be more helpful with future research. Overall, this was an enjoyable experience, and it’s something I will never forget!

-Liana Rodila