San Cristobal was amazing

I can honestly say I loved almost every minute of this experience. Everyone involved with the program was extremely helpful and kind with all of my questions, needs, and concerns, as were the staff on-site at the station on San Cristobal. Come to think of it, almost everyone I dealt with in Ecuador was helpful and kind, from hostel managers, to tour guides, to doctors that I and others (unfortunately) had to get help from. The support staff from Love Volunteers and their partner were excellent at addressing any safety concerns I had, so I never felt once that I was in any danger or put in a situation involving any extreme safety risks.

The shared accommodations at the station were rustic and rugged as advertised, so I wasn't surprised there at all. While a few others complained a little about the food, I found it to be quite good and a good way to experience some authentic Ecuadorian cooking. I think living in a much simpler way was a great character-building experience, and it was always nice to know that on weekends we could go into town to get a hot shower, some A/C, and enjoy the fantastic animal life and landscapes that the Galapagos islands have to offer. This combination of experiences made it a most unique, and most enjoyable way to spend time away from home.

The work itself was also quite rewarding. At first I thought I would be spending all day, every day cutting down invasive species, but that was far from the case. The staff at the station have a variety of activities that they vary for the volunteers, and doing so gives the volunteers a number of ways to actually contribute to the local community. This also provided a number of ways to experience the islands and see things in ways that other tourists may not get a chance to.

Socially, this experience was excellent. Everyone I met at the station (including staff were positive, generous, helpful, fun, and interesting people. I met a few people that I'm sure will become life-long contacts, if not friends. I regret that my Spanish skills weren't all that strong since it would have been nice to get to know the staff better, but enough people there spoke enough Spanish that we were always able to communicate well. My only other tiny regret was packing and bringing rubber boots: this particular station has a room full of them that other volunteers have left behind, but I suppose it would be risky to assume that the station would definitely have a fitting pair.

All-in-all this was an awesome experience for me, and I would recommend it to many of my friends... or at least the ones who are willing to be tough enough to live with the very basics while at the station.