If I could have told 10-year-old me that one day she would visit the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, she would have lost her mind. After years of obsession with the endemic species of the Galapagos and countless nature documentaries, I grew up on, seeing everything in person changed my life. From the famous giant tortoises to the playful sea lions, all the species seen in the Galapagos did not cease to amaze and ignite overwhelming happiness with every encounter. Words cannot truly describe the incredible experience I had on the islands with my professors and classmates.

The islands of Santa Cruz and Isabella offered incredibly diverse landscapes, ranging from recent hardened lava flow coastlines to rainforest with daisy trees in the highlands within a short 30-minute drive. We had an amazing journey hiking Volcán Chico on  Isabella that gave us astonishing views of how lava shaped the land and coast. All our incredible tour guides taught us everything they knew about the land and its endemic species found nowhere else in the world.

The people of the Galapagos offered truly eye-opening experiences for the love and dedication they have to their islands and nature, offering true lessons of sustainability and conservation. I will carry all the amazing memories of wildlife encounters, vast landscapes, and cultural experiences alive in my memory and my everyday life! What an incredible opportunity!

– Reese, SPC Galápagos Islands Study Abroad Program, May 2026