By Yufei M.
I'm Yufei, a fourth year student. I'm pursuing a major in Biology, a major in Physical Sciences, and a minor in Environmental Science. While natural science is my academic focus, I love classical music, enjoy arts, and feel passionate about history.
Motivation and Unexpected Benefits
Most of my academic experiences in University were focused on theories. Although courses usually try to incorporate applications of such knowledge, the real-world experience was often lacking and I never had a chance to observe what I learnt in reality. As a Biology student, Galapagos was a name I always remembered as it inspired Darwin's theory of evolution. I realized that the Summer Abroad program could be an opportunity for me to witness what I learnt, to make observations, and to integrate theoretical knowledge and practical experiences. With field trips reflecting contents from lectures and research experiences enhancing my understandings, the Ecuador program provides an unique experience. Furthermore, I got the chance to experience local culture, understand the reality of local communities, and the complex challenges in conservation and sustainability. These were unexpected benefits that I would not be able to gain if I didn't choose to join.
Memorable Experiences
During one of our field trips, we went to an area called La Loberia with beaches and cliffs. First, we went on a hike to the cliffs, where sea turtles were "surfing" with the giant waves. While the waves seemed intimidating to us, they were just relaxing. Their presence in those waves, unbelievable to us, was the most natural for them. Then, we went snorkelling by the beach. There were lots of people swimming, tourists and locals. The beach seemed crowded, but I saw one of the most incredible scenes in my life. Other than fishes in different colors, there were sea turtles wandering around us. There was also a young sea lion that swam towards and around me, trying to play with me. Such experience was particularly memorable as it lets me reflect on the different perspectives between animals and human and their interactions, which was the most relevant in conservation and was so pronounced in the Galapagos where the boundary between human settlement and nature was blurred.
Transformative Insights
In the lectures, I learnt about the invasive species as one of the greatest threats in the Galapagos. These invasive species include animals like goats and cats and plants like blackberry and guava pose threat on the endemic species and may disrupt the ecosystem if not carefully controlled. During one of our field trips, we went to a farm to eradicate guava, which had occupied a slope of a hill and the native forest was gone. We spent an hour cutting down guava, but it required much effort and we only completed a very small area. Considering the size of the island and the resource the national park has, it would be unlikely to eradicate these invasive plants and they need to invest in activities like this indefinitely to merely control them. It was during such experience that I understand the harsh reality of invasive species and the difficulty of conservation.
Personal Growth and Collaboration
Summer Abroad is my best undergraduate experience since it not only provides unique perspectives in my academic pursuit, it helps me learn to collaborate with others and encourages me to learn from my peers. After the summer abroad, I not only gained practical experiences about ecology, but also get to know extraordinary people from different background. They inspired me in different ways with their passion and showed me the possibility of life with their personality. With our conversations but also our actions, I understand more about myself and humanity.