Winter Break 2020 Participant
I learned a lot about the diving community, culture, and lifestyle. At first, the diving was a little bit harder than expected--sea conditions were sometimes rough, which led some people to become seasick, and doing many dives per day can get tiring. I learned how to be resilient, to take care of my body, and to appreciate the experience even when it got hard.
Winter Break 2020 Participant
One of the most rewarding aspects was getting to personally witness the huge reef ecosystems, which I have learned about only in classrooms until now, teeming with all kinds of life. It was also very eye-opening to firsthand see coral bleaching and be reminded of how humans are impacting the ocean. Another rewarding aspect, although not the exact purpose of the program, was getting to learn about the culture and history of Roatan.
Rianon M Wallace-Demby, Winter Break 2018 Participant
My favorite part of the program would obviously have to be the diving aspect. I got scuba diving certified in Lawrence, Kansas and did my open-water training in Stockton Lake, Missouri. Diving in the ocean is such a surreal experience, I do not know how to explain it. The reefs, the diversity of organisms, it is awe inducing. At first I was terrified to get into the water, but towards the end of the program when I finally found my rhythm, I did not want to get out of the water.