I cannot believe that I am finally on my way to Honduras. I spent so much time getting ready for this moment and am so excited to finally be headed there. The process getting to this point was full of anticipation, excitement, and fear. I have been wanting to study abroad since I first got the opportunity to go out of the country in high school and even more so when I began to learn about Hispanic language and culture. I thought finding a study abroad program that incorporated both my interest of Marine Biology and the Spanish language would be impossible, yet when I began searching and found this internship I was so determined to go.
When I finally found out that I was accepted to this program, I began preparing immediately. Getting my diving certification was my first task, since this internship would require me to be diving every day, conducting marine biodiversity research. The next step was getting prepared mentally. If I was going to be on an island for six weeks as one of two interns, who at this point I’ve only met twice, I would need to have some sort of mental preparation. So I began to take time every morning to wake up early and spend time alone preparing myself for waking up early in the morning and calm, wishful thinking. Finally, I needed my gear. My scuba equipment was the most important luggage I would need to bring, so making sure I had equipment that was not only reliable to keep me safe, but that I also understood was of the upmost importance. Once that was done, I grabbed my passport and began packing up everything I would need: shorts, t-shirts, and bathing suits.
This experience living and working in Roatán, Honduras is going to be an amazing one I will never forget. I am so excited for this opportunity to explore more about my major as well as gain valuable experience for the future. The people I meet on this journey will hopefully be people I will never forget. I cannot wait to take off on this new and exciting adventure.
COCO VIEW RESORT, ROATAN, HONDURAS