¿En Serio...?

Seriously...?

 

As I sit and write this I cannot honestly believe that it has been three months since I stepped onto the island of San Cristobal and four months since I have left the United States and started this crazy adventure. My month in Quito helped me face my fears of city life and I gained a lot of confidence in my Spanish and city skills.

 

The Galapagos have changed me even more, but in a different way. I am definitely more laid back (island life will do that, I guess) and think of things more positively. When a hike, camping trip or dinner plan didn't work out, instead of getting annoyed like I would have before, I've learned to look for other, better solutions and seize the new opportunity at hand. I hope that this newly acquired outlook will help in my transition back to US customs and the hectic life at Bucknell, especially with my newly elected position as president of my sorority.

 

A few weeks ago I was very homesick and so ready to go home, but as I walked up the insane hill that my house sits on top of one last time I once again became annoyed with myself for wanting to leave this paradise. The animals, scenery and people here are like no where else in the world. Even if it is cloudy, you are still guaranteed a sunset.

 

There are many things that I will not miss about Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, especially the cat calls us girls get daily from taxi drivers, passerby and creepy young boys, but I know there are many things that I will definitely miss. For one, the weather; going back to 25 degree New Jersey is going to be a shock, it has been moving into the warm season here and I can't walk anywhere without breaking a sweat, even in a tank top. Prices; they are so cheap! We get soup, juice, rice, some form of meat/chicken or fish and a small salad for $3.50 everyday for lunch. Food; I am definitely going to miss sweet plantains, "patacones", fresh fish, chifles, the endless amount of fresh read and I'm sure I will eventually miss the rice.

 

I am so excited to fly into Newark on Sunday afternoon (even if it is snowing). I cannot wait to be home for the holidays and truly get into the holiday spirit; seeing Christmas decorations in 80 degree weather it is a foreign concept to me. I am really looking forward to seeing my family - James just turned 15, Jacob is a senior in high school and will be hearing from colleges in the next day, Mom is still cooking up a storm with Taste & Technique and Dad has somehow been able to deal with all this craziness without me. I am really looking forward to American food: real steak, vegetables, salad and quinoa are on the list for my first dinner.

 

I know I will deal with reverse culture shock and have to adapt to the customs and ways of the US upon my return. I am scared of what is to come, but it is all part of the journey. Tomorrow afternoon, the 36 students in my program will board a plane that will take us to Quito. We will be in Quito for two nights (the shock of a huge city will be interesting) and then I will get on my 2am shuttle to the airport for my 6am flight to Panama City and eventually Newark.

 

The next two days will be emotional. I have made such wonderful friends while here; they have been my family the past 4 months and not seeing them everyday will take some adjustment. I believe that this experience has changed me and will always be a part of me. It is one more thing that defines me for who I am on this crazy journey called life. Cause after all, it's not the destination, it's the journey...

 

Until I touch down in los Estados Unidos, Chao :)

 

 

"Under the Sea...

...Darling it's better
Down where it's wetter
Take it from me"

 

The Galapagos Islands are known for their land creatures: sea lions, marine iguanas, land iguanas, giant tortoises, finches, etc., but when people think of the Galapagos they often forget about the immensely diverse life found under the sea. Being in the center of the Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos Islands are affected by multiple currents coming from Panama, Peru, the mainland and Australia. These currents combine to make water that is insanely cold but rich in nutrients. When we first arrived the water was around 18 degrees Celsius (64F) and as we approach the warm season it has been getting into the lower 20sC (low 70sF). 

 

Since my arrival in September, I have done a lot of scuba diving and I am currently working on the next level of dive certifications. The frigid water requires many more wetsuit layers than I was used to with diving in the Caribbean, but it's now becoming second nature. The 2.5mm shorty on top of the 5mm full only takes 2 minutes to put on now opposed to 10!

 

When I first arrived, I expected to find coral reefs and lots of colorful fish, similar to the Caribbean, since the water is so nutrient rich, but there are only coral reefs on the northern most islands. The fish here are unique, but not nearly as plentiful as the Caribbean, and most dives are done along rock walls that continue down into the abyss.

 

This past Saturday, we had our final dives for class (yes, we had a dive included in each class!) and visited the site Leon Dormido (aka Kicker Rock) for the fourth time since I've been here. I was reluctant to go back to the same site for a fourth time, but I am so glad I did, as fourth time was the charm!

 

On our way out to the rock (about a 45 minute boat ride) we found a pod of wild Galapagos Dolphins. There had to be over 100 of them! We convinced the captain and our dive master to let us snorkel, and the 10 of us quickly stripped down to our bathing suits and jumped into the water with snorkels and masks without thinking twice about putting on wetsuits. The first shock was that the water was so warm (at least compared to September); we didn't get cold without wetsuits! Secondly, the dolphins were amazing! The like riding the bow waves that the boat creates, so the captain kept bringing them back around to us. We cold hear them talking to one another and they were so close to us. It was a truly unforgettable experience!

 

On our first dive, we did the same dive that I had done 3 other times, but this time the visibility was the best it's been (about 40 ft). As we swam through the channel, we were surrounded by hundreds of Galapagos, white tip and black tip sharks! They were so elegant and neat to watch; we sat on the bottom for 10 minutes just looking at them.

 

my friend Abby who turned 21 that weekend - there is a shark behind her

 

The second dive was the best dive I have had here. We convinced the dive instructor to go to a different site on the rock that has had hammerhead sharks recently with the warmer water. Upon descending to 50 feet we were greeted by a large hammerhead in the distance, but the best was when we rounded a corner and there was a huge (10+ ft) scalloped hammerhead shark right in front of us! He circled us and stayed fairly close for a good minute or so, putting on an awesome show. We were all so excited; we definitely went out with a bang!

huge school of fish on the second dive

The final dive I have for my advanced certification is a night dive. Definitely nervous about it but supposedly we just sit on the bottom in the pitch black with big lights and wait for the sharks to come. Just your typical diving experience...NOT, but it should be interesting. The sharks feed at night, so hopefully I will make it out alive and be able to enjoy my last few days in paradise. Until then, Chao!