Student Testimonials

My semester at the Galapagos Academic Institute of the Arts and Sciences (GAIAS) was the most amazing experience of my life. By combining challenging academics with true hands-on experience, the GAIAS program opened up a whole world of science to me that was not previously available.

The time spent in an academic setting with very knowledgeable professors was offset by plenty of time to enjoy all that the Galapagos Islands have to offer. I was able to become SCUBA certified, and I snorkeled every day, enjoying the variety of fish, marine invertebrates, and sea lions that make the islands so unique. Two aspects of my study abroad experience that made the most impact on me were the wildlife and the people.

The most amazing encounter with Galapagos wildlife that we had was during our trip to the island of Bartoleme with Gunther Reck, professor of Marine Biology. We encountered more marine animals than I would have ever imagined, that I had to keep track of all we saw in my notebook to ensure that I wouldn't forget any one. In total, during the boat ride, snorkeling, and hiking around the island, our group saw over a dozen manta rays, dolphins, sea turtles, Galapagos sharks, sea lions, penguins, and a variety of many other marine organisms.

We were all so stunned by our incredible day of discovery, that I know not a single student in the group will forget our trip to Bartolome. During our four months on the island, this day would prove not to be unique—the Galapagos Islands have so much to offer, that incredible animals such as sharks, dolphins, whales and sea lions are right at your doorstep!

Beside the amazing wildlife that the islands offer, the cultural experience that all of us had was more rewarding than I could have imagined. Before this trip, I knew nothing of the Spanish language or culture, and by the time I left, I had made so many close friends with the local residents, that I was nearly fluent! Because the town was so small, it was easy to meet people and immediately start speaking Spanish. My best friend there, Miguel, took me along with his family to fish on their small boat, to church, and to spend time at their house. I grew very close to this non-English speaking family, and I am incredibly grateful that I was able to truly experience a South American culture.

I can't say enough about the GAIAS program, except that it truly changed my life and is solely responsible for my desire to pursue a career in Marine Biology.

I am currently a student at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito-GAIAS. Right now I am studying on the Galapagos Island of San Cristobal. When I leave here I will have spent one month in Quito , Ecuador , and three months here on Cristobal.

I come from the Pacific Northwest Coast of the United States , from a state called Oregon . I am a student of environmental studies at Southern Oregon University. When I came to Ecuador I knew very little about the country, and even less about Ecuador 's jewel named the Galapagos Islands .

I knew nothing about the oil crisis in the Amazon, the plight of the indigenous people, or the precarious situation of the Galapagos.

Through the GAIAS program I have had the opportunity to travel to many places on the mainland, from the Tiputini Biodiversity Research Station (TBS) deep in the Amazon, to Machalilla National Park on the coast of Ecuador . I have also, of course, had the unique opportunity to live in the Galapagos for three months. In traveling to these places my classmates and I had the benefit of being with some of the world's foremost experts on the areas. When we went to TBS we traveled with David Romo, Ph.D., who is not only the Co-Director of the station, but is also a man that is on the frontlines in the battle of oil exploration versus Amazon conservation. Romo, along with many other professors, has helped us--the GAIAS students-- develop a deeper understanding of Ecuador and the Galapagos.

GAIAS, offering tracks in biology and social science, has something for every environmentally driven student. Students studying the intricacies of hard science may have the honor of learning from professors like Carlos Valle Ph.D., who is native of the Galapagos, and has worked for World Wildlife Foundation fighting to conserve the Galapagos and the world's ecosystems.

As a student of social science I have had the opportunity to learn from Diego Quiroga , Ph.D., an ex Olympic competitor, who, when he is not debating issues of the Galapagos with international officials, finds time to teach a class on human ecology. My experiences here in Ecuador have truly been the opportunity of a lifetime, so much so, that I could never illustrate them fully in this short article. The many people I have met, and made friends with, along with the amazing places I have gotten to travel, have helped me learn so much about the beautifully diverse country of Ecuador.

What a day, what a day...

Just when I think things here are calming down a bit and getting a little more routine, something ELSE amazing happens.

Today started with around two hours of sleep, after the adventurous evening we had last night out dancing and making new friends. We had another field trip with Professor Carlos Valle, so we started out early, hopping a boat to travel around the island. We had some bad luck, no water clarity and strong current in one place, and 6-inch long jellyfish at Kicker Rock.

So we hightailed it out of there, finally got to Isla Lobos where... woop! The water was sparkling clear, the bottom was pure white sand, and there were no waves in the protected cove. We took a short walk around the place, seeing tons of sea lions with lots of adorable baby sea lions, and some large marine iguanas (including one swimming)!

Finally we had lunch, finished our walk, and got to go snorkeling. I had been too excited to really enjoy seeing the other stuff, and I was right to be. Why do people snorkel at Isla Lobos? Because it's the best place to snorkel with sea lions.

It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, something that I will never forget. I wish I could just live there and be in the water with them day in, day out. The sea lions really are just like dogs... not threatening at all, just extremely curious and playful. They were as interested in playing with us as we were in seeing them.

There were so many that little groups of seven or eight would just be hanging in the water, playing or feeding, mostly youngsters. They would come and swim around me in circles, stop and stare at me, whisk on by, or swim straight at me at top speed and then dive to the side or under me at the very last second. I could see the curiosity written all over their little whiskery faces and big, liquid brown eyes... "You're an awfully funny looking sea lion... wanna play?" They are so fast and agile in the water, it is difficult to find a comparison. I felt like I was moving in slow motion. They like it best if you play like them, diving down and following them, or twisting around underwater into odd positions and changing directions, just swimming around each other.

I was diving down and playing with one mother and her baby, coming up for air, then trying to follow as they circled and went under me. Soon I was exhausted from the speedy swimming and diving and little oxygen, so I slowed, expecting them to zip off. Instead, when I looked back down, they were following me very closely in slow circles, getting closer and closer. Next thing I know, I felt a tug on my fins. The mother, fascinated by the bright blue rubber, kept slowly coming up and gently taking hold of it. I was a little frightened that she would steal it, bite through it (or my foot)....... but she was being very slow and gentle, just playfully nibbling and tugging, always letting go if I struggled. She never tired of the game, following me in slow circles for five or ten minutes, then coming back later to do it again. It only happened to one other girl in our group... the only other one with blue fins.

This would have been enough to make my day and week, but when we got back, I had a package!!! Yay for mom, sending me candy and movies and pictures and all sorts of things I forgot. I feel very loved.

If reincarnation exists, I want to come back as a sea lion.

Pamela Solowski, Fall 2005

Galapagos are truly the enchanted islands, able to be enjoyed by all. It's difficult to describe the experience had while in Ecuador – there were so many unimaginable events that left me for the better. All too often I wished I could bottle and capture my feelings.

The first month in Quito was spent understanding the culture – seeing children on the streets selling gum and flowers, adjusting to the lower cost of living & “gringo tax” (inflated prices for foreigners), learning to dance salsa, and trying to understand how Latin American time works.

A trip to the coast left us with humpback whale watching, field work involving population studies, and our first interview of many exposing us to the issue of over- fishing.

Next, a trip to the Amazon Jungle, where we witnessed the changing identity of indigenous people who have been affected by petroleum companies, as well as the chance to watch wildlife in a pristine environment with very diverse inhabitants.

Once on the actual islands, it was another adjustment – to a slower pace of life filled with barking dogs and sea lions instead of traffic noises. Waking up to Latin music, visiting the beach, and drinking fresh fruit juice became part of the daily routine. Our Spanish improved, our dance steps became less awkward, and our global comprehension grew.

In classes, we supplemented readings and lectures with field trips, making learning that much better. Free time was devoted to underwater exploring, a language exchange partner, volunteering (teaching English, helping with science programs), and immersion into island life.

This program offers so much: from its unique classes to its passionate professors. It's the mecca of Biology, an opportunity to practice Spanish, and a constant classroom for problems of the Galapagos. On top of all these strong points, the type of people found on this program only strengthen the experience throughout the semester. From helpful staff to friendly locals, educated guides to unique classmates really help make lasting memories by the bonds created.

Once removed, all I can take with me are the memories of group sing-alongs, camping, snorkeling with sharks, sand volleyball during class breaks, incredible sunsets, and the constant laughter shared by the group.

As one fellow student, Paul, shared: “It's the semester we'll be talking about for the rest of our lives”.

There is much to consider when selecting a country and program to study abroad. For me, the most important factors were the uniqueness of the place, both in culture and biota, and a program where I could benefit not only from classroom lectures but with hands-on experience as well. Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands were a perfect match for these criteria, and through GAIAS, the perfect program to meet them.

I remember applying to GAIAS being both excited and nervous. On the one hand, I knew that the program would fulfill my wishes for being in a country rich in biodiversity. From the Amazon Basin to the high Andes to the Galapagos, you would be hard-pressed to find a country as diverse on both the species and ecosystem levels. Biology aside, what I was nervous about were the social interactions with the locals that I feared would be limited while living on remote San Cristobal Island . Through my misconceptions of the island and its people, I pictured a quaint fishing village interspersed with wary fishermen, the occasional scientist, and flocks of sunscreen-wearing, camera-toting tourists. Wanting to learn Spanish and become assimilated into the Ecuadorean way of life, this was a concern for me.

The concern soon left after arrival in San Cristobal . The people of Galapagos are among the most welcoming I have ever known. They are more than happy to bring you into their homes, meet with their families, and share their stories with you. For me, living with a host family was the greatest cultural learning experience I have ever been involved with, and is an unmatched way to learn the Spanish language.

Then there's the obvious other perks associated with the Galapagos. Watching blue-footed boobies dive for fish from over 50 feet in the air, SCUBA diving with hammerhead sharks, playing beach volleyball among playful sea lions, witnessing the very same long-lived giant tortoises that Darwin fascinated himself with over a century before. Galapagos is truly unique in both its unusual fauna and their colorful mannerisms.

Also, the people who make GAIAS possible are all very inspirational. The program coordinators excel at making this experience a true home away from home, and are happy to lend a hand to ensure the best environment possible for each individual student. There were many instances where they went above and beyond what was expected. The professors are at the top of their fields and are filled with knowledge and enthusiasm, and really enjoy spending time with the students both inside and out of the classroom.

GAIAS is a multi-faceted program that can meet the needs and interests of a wide range of students, from those with majors in biology to political science to natural resources conservation. During my time there, I learned more than I ever thought possible, enriching myself both culturally and academically. If you're looking for these two factors, as I was, then there's no better study abroad program for you than GAIAS.

Student Comments

• The GAIAS experience was the opportunity of a lifetime.  The professors knew their subject and  made an effort to get to know their students.   I feel knowledgeable about the islands and their flora and fauna—to study abroad with Darwin’s finches still seems unimaginable!
  
• Being in the GALAPAGOS is amazing and you’ll learn just by being there and traveling on San Cristobal and other islands.
  
• Interesting studies in a fantastic environment.
  
• You have to come see this!
  
• You will learn more about Galapagos than you ever imagined, and you get to experience some rather amazing things.
  
• It was the most amazing experience of my life.  You will learn so much about biology, Galapagos, people, and yourself.
  
• This was a really amazing experience that I don’t think compares to any other study abroad program. The location, structures, size, professors, everything was excellent and unique.
  
• I really feel like I have learned A LOT about Galapagos—a lot, a lot—and I almost feel like I could have a really intelligent conversation about the islands and that is really great. Most importantly, I have learned a lot about people and myself.
  
• The lectures at the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) were really awesome and the trip on horseback on Isabela Island was unforgettable. The fishing trip and the boat ride to Isla Lobos were amazing.
  
• Every class that was offered intrigued me and there’s nothing like studying on an island and being surrounded by what you are learning.
  
• In all honesty, this has been one of the best experiences of my life, I will carry it with me always.
  
• Everything with this program has been extremely organized and prepared. I felt like I didn’t have to worry about anything for four months because everything was taken care of for us….thank you!
  
• Honestly, all of the trips were amazing and it would have been a shame not to go on any of them....The talks Gunther Reck set up for us (in Santa Cruz) were absolutely incredible! The trip to the coast was also really important because it came in handy later on in the semester and gave us a perspective of the rest of Ecuador. The boat trip and Isabela… what can I say? We were so lucky to be able to go on them. In Quito it was really nice to have trips planned when we first got there—gave us a way to meet each other and stay busy. Basically, all of the trips were my favorite and all should definitely be included in future semesters!
  
• Galapagos is one of those places you HAVE to visit…it’s indescribable and one of the best places to study biology.
  
• This was my first time outside the States, so learning to live in a VERY different culture was pretty amazing.  Getting to live in a place where the environmental issues (and related social ones) that I’ve been studying for 2.5 years are going on around me all the time with visible, tangible consequences really opened my mind and expanded my thinking about environmental issues.
  
• It’s the experience of my lifetime. You’ll be an expert on the Galapagos when you get back, and the people you will meet will be rewarding.
  
• I had the time of my life! Being in this beautiful place made me a happier, more relaxed person. I also learned a great deal about history and politics of the islands.
  
• It was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had and will ever have!
  
• (GAIAS) was the coolest program I’ve ever been in. Great outdoor experience, good traveling through Galapagos and a great way to learn about marine life and evolution in these islands!!
  
• This program is awesome because it deals so specifically with a major that’s hard to accommodate: biology. More so, basic biology knowledge is enriched much more by seeing living examples of evolutionary modifications and by seeing world-known research facilities such as CDRS.
  
• (GAIAS) is a chance of a lifetime and it will change you forever!!