Today we focused on turning service into learning, instead of “what can I do to help” we thought about “what can I learn about the problems and solutions.”
One thing that was meaningful to me was the Barracuda we saw while doing our swim test. Many of us, including myself, were afraid. We were then told something that gave us all some peace of mind: the barracuda wanted nothing to do with us. This reminded me that so many things we think are “problems” aren’t problems at all; Misinformation can be a big problem which is why we need to learn before we serve. A quote from the excerpt we read today, “…seeing these travelers not as ‘volunteers’ serving local ‘beneficiaries,’ but rather as visitors…looking to learn from local people to understand context…that they can use to valuably contribute.”
This evening, in preparation for tomorrow’s snorkel in the coral reef, we had a class on coral ecology. We highlighted a number of different factors in the Coral environment that play a role in what we will see tomorrow. We covered hard coral (which is notable in its resilience and tolerance of heavy waves) soft coral (which lacks calcium unlike other types of coral), and flexible coral (which can withstand waves and is especially common in the areas we will be seeing tomorrow). Additionally, we looked at different variables that have a detrimental effect on coral health. Some, such as hurricanes, are naturally occurring and historically prevalent. Others, including boat damage, sea level rises, sea temperature increases, and pollution, are human induced and newer effects. Tomorrow we will be going to our first coral reef, keeping an eye out for different coral types that may indicate a healthy level of biodiversity.
At the beginning of the day, I felt really nervous before going out. I was scared to accidentally kick up some sediment or mess up in a new situation. But, my main goal for today, and this entire trip, is to find ways to be confident in situations that make me feel uncomfortable. I decided to dive deep under water to look at some really cool parrot fish and just experience these new learning opportunities. Overall, today I learned that it is okay to feel small, but just because I am snorkeling in a vast space with thousands of little creatures swimming around beneath me doesn’t mean that I don’t matter. Even the smallest things, like going thrifting or reducing my use of plastic, can help to preserve and heal environments that are currently suffering.
-Willow, Evan, Emory
