written by MelOz on 16/09/2017
I had a once in a lifetime experience volunteering in the Galapagos Islands of the coast of Ecuador! I took part in the high-school special care and conservation programme, lasting two weeks. By the end of the 2 weeks, the other volunteers and myself were like a family. The trip provided a great bonding experience and is a great cause!
We volunteered in a school for a week, allowing us to improve on our Spanish as well! The following week was conservation; learning about the unique flora and fauna species on the islands. We were able to see Giant Tortoises, Blue-footed boobies and the infamous marine iguanas!
The staff support was incredible and they were all super nice and relaxed, making sure we knew our way around town and letting us explore!
For me, I have keen interest in the uniqueness of the island, so being able to see the same islands that captivated Darwin himself, was very exciting. There is so much to see and appreciate. You will definitely be captivated by the magnificence of the island. Furthermore, during this whole trip, it was reassuring to know that we were supporting the local community and their businesses.
We stayed with a lovely host family who made us feel very at home, providing freshly caught lobster and shrimp at many meals!
Projects abroad is a great corporation, wherever you are planning to go. They offer so many different projects in different locations, but personally, there is nothing like the Galapagos Islands! Everything was so safe since the island was very small and everything was local. We were collected from the airport by a staff member and instantly started learning about the best attractions, what to see/where to eat etc! Since we were on the high school special, everything was pre-organised for us, so we were able to attend salsa lessons and went on a weekend trip to the island of Santa Cruz.
This is a once in a lifetime trip and definitely not one to miss. The only regret I have, is not staying longer!