After spending three months in one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world, the most common question I get is; what is the Galapagos? Most people view the Galapagos Islands as the site of the famous groundbreaking research by Charles Darwin, and that’s true, but the Galapagos is so much more. I watched tourists get on and off boats from cruise ships almost daily, dressed in khaki shorts, pastel shirts, and always wearing some sort of hat that either says Galapagos or some other interesting tourist destination. They often assume that I am another tourist and rush on to the marine iguana slowly passing by.
There are so many things overlooked by tourists. Many people come to the islands so they can say, “I have been to the Galapagos.” Initially, I think this is also why I choose to study abroad here. But after living like a local (minus the fluency in Spanish) I realized the Galapagos is truly amazing. My life in the Galapagos was made up of spectacular little things that most tourists never get to see. I sunbathed next to sea lions, saw a fully feathered chicken boiling and watched my homestay Mom de-feather it for dinner that night. I snorkeled at least once a week, and star gazed in the woods, listening only to nature. Most mornings I was woken up by dogs or chickens, had to dance around the cockroaches in my room to get to my closet, and played charades to tell my family what I was doing that day. I snorkeled in what can only be defined as fish tank, with so much life all around me. This is my Galapagos, and I will never forget these moments.
So, what is the Galapagos? Well, that depends on who you talk to. To a tourist , the Galapagos Islands are a place to see marine iguana, blue-footed boobies, and the last of the giant tortoises. For them, the idea of coming here is more important than actually being here; it’s some just to cross it off their bucket list and then move on to the next adventure. To me, the Galapagos is half finished houses with wire rods sticking out from roofs, a place where nothing gets done on time and the only requirements are to be relaxed and worry free, all the time. It is eating foods you never though you would and getting the occasional parasite that keeps you posted up in the bathroom for at least a day. Lastly and most importantly, it’s the place that I got to call home for three months, where I danced with locals, practiced Spanish, and learned all about the delicate ecosystem that is being severely affected by humans and introduced species. This is my Galapagos: how I live it, learn it, and love it.