Hometown Education
The Galapagos islands, a province of Ecuador, are one of the most treasured places on the planet. The archipelago is a marine protected reserve, there are many regulations, and almost its entirety is protected park lands. This is because they have many beautiful endemic species that exist solely on these islands, and it is important to protect the biodiversity present here. My spring semester of my junior year, I received the opportunity to study abroad, and my first choice was to study on the Galapagos Islands. I felt honored to partake in such a long study program (1 month on mainland Ecuador, 3 months on the Galapagos Islands) there because it provided me hands on research experience for marine science that is unmatched anywhere else. While abroad, I took part in leading a youth summer camp for the children who lived in the Galapagos. It was a great opportunity for me to interact with the local kids, learn about their culture, and spread my own love and knowledge of marine science. A group of about 10 students volunteered to help with the camp. Before we even planned our activities for the children, we spoke with the director of the program and she explained to us that the kids living on the islands know nothing about their home on the islands. This came as a shock to all of us, and we decided we'd do our best to teach them about where they were from.
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Growing up in the United States, we take for granted the fact that we are taught rich history and current events of economy, science, etc. starting at a very young age within our school systems. Although the United States is much more reserved when it comes to teaching a foreign language, many other countries including Ecuador start teaching their students English while they are in grade school. While other countries may be ahead in the language category, some countries don't spend nearly as much time teaching about where they are living. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn about where they are from so they have a better understanding of the appreciation their country deserves. I also believe that teaching citizens about where they live can help them to respect what is around them. When I was abroad, my friends and I found lots of pollution in little known places. The evidence of the empty beer bottles and food wrappers being left where typical tourists would never think to go points a finger at the local kids. I think if they knew how special and important where they live really is, it would cut the pollution and disrespect down to a minimum.
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For our summer camp, we planned activities relating to the ideas we thought the children would benefit from learning the most. Many of the art projects revolved around the different aquatic and endemic animals of their islands, as well as involving the names in English and Spanish. One of the more memorable experiences we had with our camp was our animal yoga. We gathered in a circle and did yoga in the form of the endemic species of the Galapagos and the children really had a blast. We also had the opportunity to present some of our research projects to the kids. Although we adapted our presentations to be less scientific and easier to understand, the children really got a solid idea of just how important their hometown was.
