Friday, January 23, 2009

A conversation with Catherine Ryder, Expedition Member October 2008


*What made you choose to go on a GVI expedition?

I spent quite a lot of time searching the internet and speaking to people who had been on similar volunteer projects in the past. The Costa Rica expedition really appealed to me because of the location, as well as the diversity and type of work involved.

*What was the highlight of the expedition?

It is difficult to pick out one highlight from the expedition. Some specific highlights were seeing turtle hatchlings emerge from their nest and make their way down to sea and spotting a jaguar on the beach in the middle of the day. More generally, the place, the people and the opportunity to get involved in some fantastic conservation projects were all real highpoints of the trip.

Sarah with Sara Calçada, staff member GVI Costa Rica


*Any interesting anecdotes?

One of my last turtle night walks was a pretty memorable experience. We were walking the beach in the middle of the night looking for turtles coming up to nest. It was pouring with rain (the like of which I have never seen in England) and pitch black and we stopped half way through the walk for coffee and homemade cake. That in itself was a pretty strange experience, but our chosen picnic spot was just outside a lodge on the beach on inexplicably small chairs with an equally tiny table. Feeling suitably refreshed we set out to complete the walk (about 8 miles in total) in the still pouring rain. We were just reaching the end of the walk and were about to head off the beach back to the waiting canoes when our patrol leader spotted green turtle tracks heading up the beach. It was time for action. The turtle was in the process of disguising the nest so we just had time to measure her, check for tags, and give her the once over to check for any injuries. Tape measure at the ready, I bent down to measure her and immediately got sand flicked in my eye by the turtle, a common hazard of the job. Stumbling around in the dark, trying to regain my sight, I somehow managed to lose my shoe. I tried once more to measure her, in the dark, with one shoe, blind in one eye and desperately needing the toilet. By that point the turtle clearly decided she had had enough and set off back to sea having safe laid her eggs. I didn’t find my shoe (they found it the next day) but we headed back to base for a cold shower (to wash the sand out of my eye) at about 3.00am! A night I will never forget.

*Has your GVI experience changed your outlook and attitudes in any way now that you’ve returned home?

Definitely. Having the opportunity to experience a totally different way of life and to contribute (even in a small way) to such valuable work has really changed my outlook.

*Did you feel like the expedition contributed to the local environment and community?

Yes. While I was there we got involved in a number of different projects with the local community that contributed both formally and slightly more informally to the local community. For example, I had the chance to teach an English lesson to the local school, as well as participating in a community event where we performed a play for the children to teach them how to look after plants. We also played football against the local women from the nearby village. Although they will have come away with the view that we aren’t very good at football, hopefully it fostered good relations with the local community and helped them understand the importance of the work that GVI are doing.

*Any advice to potential volunteers thinking about doing an expedition with GVI?

Make sure you understand exactly what is involved in the expedition. The work involved in the Costa Rica expedition varied depending on the time of the year and it is useful to think about what you want to get from the expedition. In order to get the most from it you need to be prepared to roll your sleeves up and get involved and take any opportunities that are offered to you when you are there.

*Were there any staff members who made a special impact to you on your expedition?

All of the GVI staff involved in the Costa Rica expedition were brilliant – good fun, friendly and knowledgeable about the projects they are involved in. In particular, Dave (the Field Coordinator) was a star, he made sure everyone was happy and got what they could from the expedition.



David Jones, Field Coordinator GVI Costa Rica


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