As we landed back in Atlanta, I was filled with so many emotions of being both sad and happy at the same time. I was happy to be back home with Chick-fil-a and my own bed and shower, yet sad because I didn’t want to leave the new friends I made or the beautiful cities of Ecuador. I mostly miss the snorkeling that we were able to participate in at the Galapagos Islands and the group of people that I went with.

This group was definitely not what I was expecting because they were all so sweet and supportive during the whole trip. Some will definitely be lifelong friends of mine. Leaving this trip was harder every day for the next week because it finally settled in that I wasn’t there anymore with all of the great animals and locals that it made it so fun. I slept so much for the first couple of days and finally got to meet up with some of the friends that I made on the trip to go watch the new Top Gun Maverick.

This study abroad trip will always be a great memory for me as I’ll never forget the great wildlife that we rarely get to see here such as the massive sea turtles and the larger insects like the scorpio spider. What really made this trip though was the people who I went with. These memories will always stay with me and I am so glad for that. My teacher, Dr. Champagne made the experience so much more fun as he had so many adventures planned for us such as snorkeling, hiking, zip lining, and visiting museums. I rarely get to experience these activities at home because I am always so busy. I feel so honored that I was able to study abroad with UGA and I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about attending.