<p>Here’s my essay for the question: how have you taken advantage of the educational opportunities available to you. </p>
<p>Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Throughout high school there have been numerous educational opportunities available to me. They ranged from AP/Honors classes, supplemental programs, clubs, and trips. I took a research trip to the Galapagos Islands this past summer. My biology teacher led the trip to the Galapagos Islands where we spent a week conducting hands on research.</p>
<p>Before leaving for the Galapagos we were assigned an organism to study on the islands. While on the islands I studied the Sally Lightfoot Crab and began to look at the world in a way I had never looked at it before. We spent two days in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on our way to and from the islands. I took four years of Spanish and I knew I could speak the language, but I thought I might have trouble communicating with the locals. However, I was completely wrong. While on the Galapagos Islands and in Ecuador I used Spanish like I never thought I was capable of. It made my trip so much more enjoyable because I had a way of conversing with people from another country.</p>
<p>The Galapagos Islands were fantastic. Each island had its own distinct feel. My week on the islands felt so surreal because the Galapagos is unlike any place on Earth. It’s just you and the animals because humans only live on three of the islands. It was amazing to see how the animals were completely unphased by humans. While I was on the islands I learned so much about our world from the naturalists and conducting hands on research. I changed a lot during my week in the Galapagos. I learned so much about the world, different cultures, customs, and made memories that will last a lifetime. </p>
<p>Each day we visited one or two islands. On each island I would look for the organism I was studying to try and get some more information about it. I observed all of the animals on each island and was amazed at the diversity among the organisms and how they have evolved over thousands of years.</p>
<p>I got to witness Darwin’s Theory of Evolution first hand. Darwin studied the finches while on the Galapagos and on each island the finches had different characteristics. For example, on one island they might eat a certain type of seed, but on the other island they eat another kind of seed. It was truly remarkable to be able to see evolution at work on the islands.</p>
<p>Our trip concluded with a tour of the coastal city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The city was quite a sight, bustling with activity, but there weren’t many tourists. The locals were transfixed on us as we toured the city, but seemed very nice whenever I asked them anything. The Ecuadorian people were genuinely kind people and I was able to talk to them using Spanish. </p>
<p>My trip to the Galapagos Islands changed me. When I came home I felt like a new person. I had a sense that I had seen the world and experienced something that very few people ever have the opportunity to experience. I learned so much about the world and gained a deeper understanding of biology, evolution, and how to conduct hands on research. My trip to the Galapagos Islands is something that will stick with me forever and I can only hope that I will have another chance to visit the most pristine place on Earth.</p>