Nine Months of Fun!

I decided to spend my time with Coral Cay because from the very beginning they were dedicated to making the experience beneficial for both Coral Cay and myself. During the process of finding an organization that would be a good fit for me I reached out to several NGOs that were similar to Coral Cay, but I ultimately chose CCC because they were the only organization who didn't immediately agree to the idea of my project. The Coral Cay team organized a Skype call with me because they had several questions about the Fellowship which showed me that they were dedicated to maintaining the quality of their projects and ensuring that the Coral Cay vision would be kept to a high standard.

My proposal was awarded the funding necessary so at the end of July I hopped on a plane and started my nine-month journey in the Philippines and it was absolutely wonderful. For the first month I went through the standard scientific training that every volunteer goes through and and spent the next two months surveying and completing my PADI Divemaster course. The diving was magnificent as Coral Cay's house-reef is a pristine example of how a well-managed Marine Protected Area leads to increased biodiversity in and around the reef. After getting a feel for the expedition and how it ran, I then spent the next six months on two-month rotations where I shadowed the various on-site staff members. This gave me valuable insight and experience for working in the conservation industry and enabled me to take on additional responsibilities for the project. I was able to assist with the Skills Development Program and help train new volunteers, I had additional opportunities to meet with local stakeholders, I helped with data management, and I even learned about the logistics behind the operation of a remote field base.

My time with Coral Cay allowed me to grow as an individual due to the mentorship provided both by the Coral Cay staff in the Head Office and on the Expedition Site. The experience I received about working in the conservation industry has been invaluable, Coral Cay truly is world-class in the manner they conduct their research projects. I am incredibly thankful for the time I spent in the Philippines and I am looking forward to any opportunities that would send me back there!