At the beginning of 2017, I spent 3 months completing an internship for the Intercultural Outreach Initiative, on the Galapagos Islands (off mainland Ecuador). IOI is a company which was founded to practise conservation through education and social development in one of the most exotic environments on earth. Spending time on the Galapagos taught me the importance of eco-tourism and conservation. I began to understand how important providing an ecological stable environment and protecting these incredible endemic species is for feature generations. My internship was focused on being a social media assistant and graphic design inter, providing two media companies (local and international) with photographs, footage and blog posts to feature on their website. The position was essential for the local and international presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

My role allowed me to be at the centre of the foundation working closely with the permanent staff and volunteers of the program. 

A major part of my job was to provide biweekly blogs to be uploaded to their website over a longer period of time to create suspense and engage with potential volunteers whilst providing old volunteers with information and statistics reminding them of their time on Isabela Island. On this blog I have selected a number of my posts which I wrote during my time on Isabela. Every post was written and all opinions expressed are mine and haven’t been effected by the company.

Reflection

The experience I had living here was remarkable – from weekends visiting Santa Cruz and San Cristobal to snorkelling and camping with other volunteers the opportunities you get from living in such a remarkable archipelago are unheard off.

One morning I would attend a summer camp award ceremony and the next day I would be heading to the sulphur mines to spend the night camping under the sparkling constellations on the edge of the Sierra Negra crater.

Although not every day I worked here I was headed somewhere new I also treasured the days when I was working in town with the opportunity to walk around take photographs and absorb the island. Some days I am walking through the streets and a friend will rush up to me to say there are baby tortoises hatching at the centre and I should head there and other days I can explore the town enjoying the sites and scenes going on around me. There is always something going on in Puerto Villamil to watch and enjoy, usually its the local football league or a game of beach volleyball no matter what the town is a buzz with activity.

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