A+ for Akumal

I spent a summer in Akumal, Mexico with The Science Exchange studying the effects of climate change on sea turtle nests. Katherine was a great mentor and available whenever I had questions or problems. The host organization in Akumal, Centro Ecologico Akumal, had a great staff and lots of fun volunteers from all over the world. The dorms had air conditioning and a shared kitchen. Just a two minute walk to the beach. At night we would patrol the beaches for nesting turtles and making sure the nests were protected. We took tourists out for a small donation fee and showed them the nesting process of the turtles, which was awesome for practicing my Spanish. It was one of the best summers of my life. Upon return to the US, Katherine was a great advisor and help during the final stages of the project, paper, and presentation. I highly recommend this program for anyone that wants to explore another part of the world and get out of their comfort zone while working towards a common goal of sea turtle conservation. It's a lot of work and up to the student to collect the research data. This internship is really great for a highly motivated individual, since TSE isn't present during the research. It's up to the student! As a 20 year old, I felt like I was able to grow into a more motivated, prepared, and organized student.

Thanks again for everything The Science Exchange has given me!