The Science Exchange Sea Turtle Internships

The best part of the internship is the finding an actual sea turtle and seeing how they nest. It is a rewarding feeling to find a nest because it gives us a chance to save their eggs and increase the turtles survival rates. Another great opportunity was the various events we took part in to spread sea turtle awareness and the importance of conservation to the local kids of the community in Costa Rica. Something bad that happened daily was the lack of available water to shower and more importantly, to drink. The plumbing and overall housing unit could have used some major repair because often time the electricity and water would be out for days.Of course these things are difficult to avoid in the rain forest.Nevertheless, the experience always left for great stories to be told, and the bottom line is that I was there for the turtles and their eggs. I learned so much both as a science student and as an individual. I also took in the entire culture and beauty of Costa Rica.

Interning with the science exchange was one of the most amazing experiences. Living on the beautiful beach of Akumal, Mexico with like-minded people, saving sea turtles was priceless. I arrived in Cancun not knowing what to expect but the experience surpassed my expectations. I spent every day on the beach, snorkeling, and swimming with young sea turtles. I spent the nights patrolling the beaches, watching the females lay their eggs, and marking the nests. Seeing the newly hatched sea turtles coming out of their nest was the highlight of my internship. After I returned to San Diego, my mentor guided and helped me analyze my data and write my paper for which I received an A. I highly recommend interning with the science exchange.

My trip to baja California with the science exchange was life changing.
I learned more spanish than in my previous 12 years of studying the language and I learned even more about myself.
Initially I was shocked when we showed up at our location. We left a beautiful Cabo San Lucas with thousands of tourists, bars and restaurants for an isolated beach with no one in site.
After a few days of getting used to living off the grid I began to enjoy the simplicity of life.
The typical day started around midnight with a night beach patrol for nesting turtles. Then a second patrol around 6:00 am until just after sunrise. A quick siesta allowed us to catch up on sleep before the midday heat started up. Around noon we would fish and swim in the ocean until we started cooking dinner aroun5 or 6.
After a long day of collecting and recording data and relocating eggs into the protected nesting area it was almost impossible not to fall asleep as soon as you lay your head down while looking at a seemingly endless number of stars.
Would have been a little scary(all the time to yourself) to go without a friend but would have still been a great time.

I interned in Akumal, Mexico, studying the climate change effects on sea turtle nests, and I couldn't have had a better summer. My adviser, Katherine, was so helpful, even from a different country, and the in country staff taught me so much about sea turtles. The ups and downs of patrolling the beaches at night to protect the turtles are very memorable for me. The endless nights of protecting nests and turtles really made me have an emotional connection to such a beautiful species of animals, that I will never forgot. I got the chance to make friends around the world and explore the local area around my studying and volunteer work. I visited ancient ruins and different areas of the Yucatan. Living in a different country is a great learning experience, and being able to study and make a difference while doing so was such a great idea. Thank you Science Exchange for adding incredible memories and knowledge to my life!