The Galapagos Islands: The Trip of a Lifetime

On Thursday, April 17th, 2014, twenty-one KHS students and three faculty members will be flying approximately seventeen hours to a destination some call an “ecological treasure.” The experience of the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador go far beyond any normal ‘vacation’, as these students and faculty members will be receiving an education and adventure that no classroom or teacher could provide.

Ecuador is located in the northwest region of South America with the Galapagos Islands located just 600 miles off its coast. During this incredible adventure, these twenty-four individuals will be touring the capital of Ecuador, Quito, on their first day in the country. According to Mrs. Farrell, one of the trip leaders, she believes this trip will, “give students a global perspective of a large city” as well as, “immerse the kids in a Spanish speaking country with science” included in the experience as well.

In fact, one of the other trip leaders, Senora Grady, is a KHS Spanish teacher and will definitely be helpful with communication during their trip. After touring Quito, they will be flying to the Galapagos Islands where they will first be visiting the Charles Darwin Research Station and receiving a guided tour learning about evolution and the impact Darwin had on science.

For the next few days during the trip, they will go on boat excursions to some of the individual islands that make up the Galapagos Islands, including the Isabela Island and Floreana Island. During these excursions, they will be participating in activities such as snorkeling, hiking, and – for educational purposes – collecting data.

The last two days of the trip they will focus more on exploring the culture of Ecuador by visiting local communities, villages, churches, and markets including, “one of the largest street markets in South America” according to Mrs. Farrell. Senora Grady says she will “encourage the students to speak Spanish so that they can bargain in the markets” making for a richer, more satisfying experience. The immersion into the culture of Ecuador will also help students understand the, “influence of religion and the impact that poverty has on the people such as clean drinking water being a luxury”, something that most of us take for granted, explains Senora Grady.

As well as experiencing the culture, these individuals will also experience the nature of Ecuador. According to Mrs. Farrell, they will be going on nature walks led by local naturalists to get a real sense of the wildlife. She also mentions that, “the Galapagos islands have many interesting animals. We hope to have close up encounters with several different types of animals such as flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, and domed giant tortoises.” The students and leaders will be able to observe endangered animals in their natural habitats as well.

All together, this trip is truly a once in a lifetime experience designed to educate, not just academically, but culturally and environmentally as well, giving these individuals potential new perspectives and a better understanding of the world outside their own.