GVI Marine Conservation in Seychelles Expedition

I decided to go on this expedition to gain field experience, as I had just completed my honours thesis in marine biology - but spent all my time in the lab! I thought this was a perfect way to gain valuable skills whilst contributing to marine conservation - and there was no better place than the Seychelles! Initially I was quite nervous, not knowing what to expect and whether I would be able to manage the 2 months. I was originally signed up for the 1 month expedition, however the phone call from the GVI office informed me that the 1 month program involved mainly lectures and learning how to correctly identify and survey the marine species of interest - not the actual field surveys which I was wanting to do. So I decided to join the 2 month expedition and was very glad I did - however it still did not feel long enough once I got there! The other volunteers were all like minded and everyone got along really well. It didn't take long to become friends with everyone because of the close living quarters. The weather was hot and humid and it took a couple of weeks to settle in and get used to drinking so much water to stay hydrated! The first month consisted of lectures and exams to be able to accurately identify the groups of fish or corals we were delegated and other lectures on turtle biology, mega fauna and survey methods and DVD sessions with appropriate documentaries such as the BBC Coral Reefs. We had dives every day to spot fish (or corals if that was the group you were assigned prior to departure) and accurately name them and get signed off by the staff. We also completed out Emergency First Response training, and some volunteers did their Advanced Open Water diving Certification. It was not until the second month of the expedition we got the conduct the in water surveys with our dive buddy, and the first month of training really made sure we were up to scratch on our skills! In second month of the expedition we had a lot more spare time than we all expected, so we watch a lot of movies, read, husked coconuts and did our daily duties throughout the days. We had 2 days off a week, and usually went to Victoria (the capital of Seychelles on Mahe Island) to use the internet. It was a 40 minute walk from base to the bus stop and another hour on the bus into town - and sometimes the internet wasn't even working! I definitely think this expedition was worthwhile, and it is something everyone should consider - for a short or longer period! I learnt a huge amount of information about the marine environment, in particular the fish which was a nice change from studying corals at home. I also learnt a lot about myself, and found this to be a very special and memorable trip. I can't wait until my next one!

My time in the Seychelles, was an unforgettable experience. With a degree in a relevant field I was excited about getting the opportunity to gain field work experience.

The internship broadened my knowledge of coral reef systems, provided practical training and experience, expanded my communication skills, interpersonal skills, team work and leadership skills.

In terms of living on base with ~30 other people, you gain some life long memories and friends who you can always contact and be like....Hey do you remember that time we followed a turtle for 40minutes during a dive?!?!

And the time the little kids nearly drowned us when we took them snorkelling.....and when the orphanage kids painted our faces?!?!

Everything about GVI internships is extremely well-run, providing an excellent overall experience, with valuable memories and qualifications to Boot!!

Woop!

My trip to the seychelles did exceed all my expectations. Nor just to live in a paradise, for me it was also about all the information and knowledge I received. It was much more than I ever hoped for. I learned so many new things, everything from diving, earth, nature, to friendship, first aid and life.

During the expedition we dived 1-2 times per day (excluding weekends), which was absolutely fantastic! To get the opportunity to feel as one with our "underworld" that you hardly sees a glimpse of otherwise. An other cool thing was to learn the scienceway of the ocean and be a part of making a difference for it.

Living on a beach on a deserted island for 10 weeks with no electricity, phones or internet forces you to spend time in the old fashon way. Many card games done, but mainly a lot of deep discussions about life. In that way you get very close to people quite fast. So what I also recieved was many awesome friends all around the world!