What inspired you to work for your organization?
My favorite part of research has always been the fieldwork, so to be able to do that full-time was so exciting. On top of that, it was a great opportunity for me to share all the knowledge and experience I gained to the next generation of marine scientists and/or conservationists. I love experiential education, so to teach my favorite topics in one of my favorite places in the world was an easy sell. It is incredibly rewarding to watch students progress over the course of 1, 2, sometimes 3 months, watching them build skills and grow in confidence. The connections I still have with many of my former students, following where they've gone in their careers has been so inspiring. It's wonderful to contribute to a small fraction of the large ORI alumni network of ocean stewards.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
Don't stress too much about what you can't control! If you prepare well and have confidence in your ability to figure things out and make a plan, then you'll be able to sort through almost anything. There will be hiccups and unpredicted situations, but the kindnesses of friends, chosen family and strangers will warm your heart and inspire you to pay it forward. Don't be afraid to start the conversation or say the thing-you never know how many doors to friendships and memories and hilarious stories those interactions can open! In terms of practical advice, figure out your SIM card and outlet adapters in advance, and always, always, always, always, ALWAYS travel with some cash on hand! My mother was right about that. If it weren't for the kindness of a stranger after a cancelled bus, a broken ATM, and no way to get cash to buy cellphone data and buy a new ticket before nightfall, I would have gotten stuck in a small town 2 hours from home!
Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?
A key reason folks should choose Oceans Research Institute over other competitors is because the program is not solely about teaching folks how to execute a specific method. The entire program is catered towards teaching students about marine field work, from data collection to boat maintenance, gear maintenance, coursework, literature reviews, data entry and more. Not only that, the data students collect is not just about collection for collections' sake. The data goes towards real research projects. The foundational project, the great white shark population dynamics study, is one of the largest datasets of its kind (photo ID) in the world. Every single trip the students take out to look for white sharks goes towards this immense data set that is used in current research projects and government reports. Students are also encouraged to demand more of the program-what you put in will equal what you get out of it.
What is your organization's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
ORI's mission is to give students real, hands-on marine field research experience that contributes to real science and conservation efforts in South Africa. I always made sure to teach the "why" behind every lesson or correction. It is one thing for students to just copy and execute what you've told them to do, but it is another entirely if you remind them that what they're working towards has real world impacts on the ecosystems and wildlife they're trying to observe and record. I always engaged students about their "why", to put into context what they were doing, as it can be easy to forget (believe it or not) when you are in a fully immersive experience in an entirely new country, and possibly new continent, for most students.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
There are a few key traits, habits, and lessons I hoped my students learned during their tenure with Oceans Research. The first was my favorite phrase: teamwork makes the dream work. Not just as a rhyming quip, but as a phrase that permeates all aspects of their life, enabling them to see the power of community and learning from a diverse group of minds. I also wanted students to gain confidence in themselves, to know that learning is a process and it's okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. I didn't expect everyone to love every project or aspect of the program, but I did want them to explore what their reactions taught them about where they wanted to go next in their lives, in their schooling or their careers.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
It is profoundly important for folks to realize how vast this world is and to recognize that what they assume everyone knows, values or has access to might not be the lived reality of many, if not most, other folks on the planet. It's also incredibly important for students to learn self-awareness-what might be respectful or normal in their home country might not be received similarly in a new country. It's important to learn how to respect a different world while simultaneously bringing their own unique insights, joys, and contributions from their home country or culture. I, myself, found that I felt more at home in a different country and surrounded by different cultures and values than where I grew up. It's so important to explore what is out there so you know what your options are for you AND for other people.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel has the capacity to change the course of your life in ways you cannot begin to imagine! For me, I felt more at home in a different country than in the town where I grew up. It means gaining emotionally significant experiences and making real, sincere connections with people and places that you carry with you for the rest of your life. They do not have to be grandiose either-the small, daily interactions with a local coffee shop barista can change the way you move through the world, perhaps giving you confidence to build a home or community in a new town, city, or country down the line. It can also build resilience-turning defensiveness and judgement into patience, curiosity and kindness-ingredients the world needs a lot more of these days.
