Iguanas and Penguins and Turtles…Oh My!
I’m back from my Semana Santa adventures and ready for the home stretch here in Ecuador. I have tons of papers, tests and final projects in the last couple weeks and I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of my time here. As many of you may have heard, I had an unfortunate experience in Guayaquil (the largest city in Ecuador) during my vacation but I want to let everyone know that I am doing extremely well, feeling safe and happy and ready to finish out my experience on a positive note. Sometimes we are in the wrong place at the wrong time and bad things happen. Crime and danger are a reality of studying abroad and traveling and I am just very thankful that I am healthy and safe. For now, I don’t feel quite ready to share the details of what occurred, but I do have lots to tell about my time in Darwin’s paradise.
My parents and sisters came to visit me in February and spent a couple of days in the Galapagos Islands before touring around Quito with their personal gringa guide, yours truly. I saw their pictures and videos and heard stories about the islands, but what stuck with me the most was what my Dad said: “It’s as if someone took all of these animals, placed them together on these islands, and trained them not only to get along with each other, but to get along with humans as well.” I know that’s not the way it occurred, but the biodiversity and beauty is startling and pretty difficult to describe. I am going to try and upload some pictures and hope that the internet treats me well so you can all get a glimpse of this dream world.
Our 4 day cruise was included in my program (sweet!) and twelve of us and our program director flew about two hours off the coast of Ecuador to Santa Cruz, one of the biggest islands of the Galapagos. After reaching our private cruise ship, we lifted the anchor and set off on a four day adventure. Our days consisted of early morning caminatas (hikes) to catch the sunrise, morning snorkeling sessions, midday treks and live zoology lessons, afternoon snorkeling sessions, and evening dolphin watches off the top deck of our boat. Each island that we went to (four in all) had a completely distinct feel with unique topography, flora and fauna. I was mesmerized by the cacti the size of oak trees and the iguanas the size of small dogs shading themselves underneath. We saw lobos del mar (sea lions), blue footed boobies, (yes that is the real name), penguins or pingüinos (on the equator!) and of course, gigantic tortugas or turtles. The turtles are actually called galapagos and that is where the famous islands get their names.
Not a lot of people know that more than 20,000 people are official citizens of the Galapagos, although only a few of the dozens of islands are populated. Our guide told us that there is an enormous cultural difference between the mainland Ecuador and the Islands. While recycling or compost efforts are nonexistent on the mainland, the citizens of the Galapagos work towards fully sustainable living. Sexual education is either completely absent or very limited in Ecuador society, but it is taught in every grade in Galapagos school systems for the purpose of population control on the islands. It is technically illegal to move to the Islands (although when you go its very tempting) and the Ecuadorian government is currently concerned about the growing population. As a result of limited opportunities, many Galapagos residents choose to move to the mainland and give up Galapagos citizenship.
My nights on the cruise were pretty sleepless due to the rocking of our small boat but I spent most of my time on the top deck star gazing and chatting with friends about how lucky we all were. I hadn’t had more than a couple of days off from school for 14 weeks and both my brain and body were exhausted from constant Spanish speaking and weekend traveling. Studying abroad has been incredible and I feel blessed to have experienced all that I have, but I must admit that it is no walk in the park. The past four months have been mentally and emotionally draining and I felt my Spring Break was a much needed breath of fresh ocean air.
It didn’t rain the entirety of our stay but it was pouring buckets when the plane touched down in Quito five days later. After a breathtaking four days in paradise and one terrifying night in Guayaquil, I was exhausted and ready to spend a couple of days at my home in Quito with my host family. I have less than three weeks left before my program ends and then I am off to Peru to see the Incan ruins at Machu Pichu in Cusco and the capital city, Lima. For now, I am in my beloved Quito, spending time in my favorite spots and soaking up the last ounces of Ecua culture before my time is done. I’m taking it one day at a time and my nights are filled with dreams of soft beaches, strange vegetation and friendly creatures. I’ll be home soon, all.
Saludos until then,
Ariel