GVI, Ethical Impact: Volunteer in Mexico

What inspired you to volunteer abroad with GVI in Mexico?

Andy: Have you ever had that feeling of being stuck in a routine? That one that makes you’re days go slowly and you’re just there, sitting in an office desk or a hot classroom waiting for something to happen? Well, I was suffering from that.

I was trapped in a boring office all day long feeling stressed and angry all the time. That’s when a good old friend of mine came to my rescue, he told me about this project called “GVI.”

The way he described it sounded so amazing that I couldn’t resist, and so, without hesitation, I enrolled in the Pez Maya – Marine Conservation project.

What was the most memorable moment of the trip?

Andy: For me the 3 months I spend there were memorable. But I have to say, the best day was when we got to swim with dolphins! This was actually on my last day at the base (my scholarship was over). And I was a little annoyed that in the three months I lived there I hadn’t seen dolphins on any of my dives.

So that morning I was telling everyone that this was THE day, that this would be the best dive of all. So, we were reaching our destination when suddenly the other boat radio us saying that they found dolphins!

Our captain quickly changed direction and took us where the other boat was. And to my surprise, there was a family of 12 dolphins jumping and playing between the boats.

We did not think it twice and we dove into the water. We swam with them for hours. My dream came true that last day. It was one of the best days of my life.

What was the most interesting cultural difference you encountered?

Andy: Well I volunteered in my own country, so I didn’t experience any cultural differences. I was used to everything. But actually it was fun to witness how other volunteers reacted to my culture, especially to the traditional food.

Mexicans have a pretty big variety of dishes. We like our tortas, tacos and quesadillas. But the volunteers had big problems identifying the differences between each dish (and trust me, there is a big difference).

They claimed that they were eating the same thing every day just with a different presentation; I had a difficult time trying to convince everyone that they were eating different plates.

Was it difficult to navigate around language barriers?

Andy: Not at all, actually it was fun to learn other languages. What we used to do was to teach others words and phrases in our native languages. So we learned how to say “Where is the bathroom?” in Spanish, German, Swedish and French.

Tell us about one person you met.

Andy: Uff, I can tell you about everyone at base. Each of us had a different personality that made this experience incredible. For example, in my first month I met Sandra (from Switzerland). We arrived together and we were a little afraid of what we were going to encounter in that new and strange place.

We became good friends while we were trying to adapt to Pez Maya’s life. In that first month Tom and Josie (both from England) helped us a lot, explaining to us what to do and where to go.

In the second month I met Luca (from Belgium) and Will (from the USA). They were placed in my hut so we became team Amanecer. It was fun to show them how to survive in Pez Maya. They were excellent roommates.

In my third month I made a good friendship with Sam (from England) and Dylan (From Australia). Those two made me laugh every day. They were crazy.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I think my teaching techniques as well as knowledge of coral has really progressed. It is interesting learning about the health and safety factors in such a remote place, and hope to keep this knowledge wherever I live in the future. I have gained close relationships with my coworkers which has been incredibly helpful.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

When I was a volunteer, someone who volunteered with me also went to Costa Rica, then back to Pez Maya, then to the hub in Nepal. I think it's really neat you can use GVI in order to travel but continue learning during the process.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Debatable between the marine conservation bases in Fiji and Seychelles, and the jaguar work in Costa Rica! The marine conservation bases are self explanatory, I always want to be in the water! But I would absolutely love to see a jaguar!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

One moment when I was proud of our team, was when outside organizations reached out to us to help monitor the current seasonal coral bleaching. It is a pretty big deal that outside organizations recognize our talents and utilize it as well.

I was fortunate to be a part of this monitoring, where myself and Erika monitored the reefs at Pez Maya, Puerto Aventuras, and Playa del Carmen.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Enthusiastic energy. Without a positive group, it makes work much more difficult, and if you are enjoying your job, it does not feel like work! When working as a team like at Pez, we all have to work almost as a family, since we work together, live together, eat together.... do everything together, we need to always help each other out so we continue to bring a positive energy on base.