Andes and Amazon Trip

Reilly Strong Start Date: Jun 9, 2017 - End Date: Sep 16, 2017
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Leadership/Training Program

My Travel Story

by: Reilly Strong Start Date: Jun 9, 2017 - End Date: Sep 16, 2017
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Leadership/Training Program
Hey everyone! So as I've probably rattled your ears off about the past few months I am planning on going on this gap semester program with "Where There Be Dragons" this fall. College life was a bumpy yet successful ride  this past year but it showed me that I need to get out of the classroom and experience the world.

I've had this burning passion bascially since I came out of the womb to do something about our deteriorating environment.  I have struggled with pretty bad anxiety about the state of our planet the past few years. Sometimes I feel like I'm a little sensitive rabbit inside a humans body. As I've become more and more invested in trying to save our planet from human destruction, the more I've felt like giving up. While I was curled up in my bed in Janurary trying to find something that will reignite my fire I stumbled upon this program. The trip is to Peru and Bolvia where I will become fluent in Spanish, get outdoor leadership certifications, study and conserve endangered ecosytems; bascially everything that I've been telling everyone I will do since middle school.

I have never been afraid of living out of a backpack or without technology. I live for connections. The idea of connecting with nature, students, and other native people all at once seems like my version of heaven .I am most excited to be immersed in the crazy biodiverse ecosystems and collaborate with the local community to learn how we can conserve them. In my own community, I try to do as much as I can to unify myself with others and with the earth. In hopes that maybe we could all connect with each other and the planet in unison someday.

I'm tired of dreaming about it so I applied for the scholarship for this program and after flying out to Boulder for an interview and many emails and phone calls I finallly annoyed them enough to choose me. I am also working everyday this summer to pull together my half of the tuition and spending money while on the trip. However there is still a gap in my funds that I need to fill.  

My mantra the past few months has been the last line of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,things are not going to get better they're not."  Any amount of money would really be the biggest help. $9 is a whole hour of work for me so truly any and every dollar would be greatly appreciated. I will write you a poem or make you jewlery orrrr take you for a cville adventure! Thanks for taking the time to read this :)