Going a long way for extra credit
Nora Wagner's quest for extra credit took her extra far from home, all the way to the Galápagos Islands 500 miles off the coast of Ecuador.
The Mercyhurst University environmental science major traveled to the archipelago of volcanic islands and their mother country, Ecuador, with a group of fellow Mercyhurst students Jan. 4 through 13, 2017.
“I want to work with wildlife, specifically endangered animals,” said the 2014 Butler High School graduate, so the trip to the Galápagos, home to tortoises and iguanas, seemed right in line with her future plans.
Wagner was part of a group of 30 college students and four professors who flew out of Buffalo. N.Y.
She said after a 2-hour layover in Georgia, the group made the 5-and-a-half-hour flight to Quito, Ecuador's capital.
“Half of us were my biology class and half were a go-pro class,” said Wagner.
“We took the trip and then we came back and had a class on the Galapagos,” she said of her fellow biology students. The trip earned her three credits toward graduation.
“The Go-Pro class had to make a 30-minute video,” she said.
“We stayed in Quito for three days,” said Wagner.
“It was very busy and crowded. It's a Third World country, so it's a lot different from what we are used to,” she said. “There are very rundown houses and they are right on top of each other.”
“We went to the equator,” she said, the line of zero latitude dividing the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
The Mercyhurst group also made an excursion to Cotopaxi, the second-tallest volcano in the world.
“We were lucky we got to see the peak,” she said, noting the volcano's summit is often obscured by clouds.
The altitude, 9,350 feet above sea level, caused some problems. “A couple of people got altitude sickness, but I didn't notice anything,” Wagner said.
But the altitude had an unexpected benefit.
“Before we left, they recommended we get vaccines for typhoid and West Nile virus,” she said. “They said the mosquitoes were a problem. But we were so high up, they weren't much of a problem. I don't think I got bit once while I was there. ”After a three-day stay in Quito, the group took a two-hour flight to the Galápagos, which have been considered part of Ecuador since 1832.“We were there for five days,” she said. “We did a volcano hike, went snorkeling, visited various beaches, went to the research center.“My favorite part was probably the snorkeling. It was really neat. We did it twice,” she said.The group started on Isabela Island, the largest of the 21-island chain. It is also home to the Charles Darwin Research Station, named after the writer of “The Origin of the Species,” who visited the Galapagos in 1835 while traveling aboard the HMS Beagle.During his visit to the islands, Darwin noted that the unique creatures were similar from island to island, but perfectly adapted to their environments, which led to his theory of evolution.Wagner said the research station the group visited is used to breed the islands' giant tortoises and reintroduce them to islands in the chain where the tortoises have been driven to extinction.The weather was almost tropical during the students' visit, she said.“It was very warm. We were in tank tops and shorts. It was definitely a culture shock when we flew back to Buffalo,” said Wagner.She said the islands are still covered with abundant wildlife: tortoises, iguanas, sea lions, crabs, sea turtles and various species of birds including penguins.She said there are palm trees but there are also cacti and some trees once you get away from the beaches.Wagner said the group had the benefit of tour guides who steered them away from the more “touristy” spots on the islands.“They took us to places the tourists didn't know about. We got to go where the locals go to eat and to their favorite beaches and that sort of thing,” Wagner said.Some of the eating could have gone better.
“I tried octopus. It was very rubbery. I didn't like it. I am not a big sea food person,” she said.“We got to try some of the exotic fruits such as star fruit, dragon fruit, guanabana,” she said.But the people made up for any shortcomings in the cuisine.“The people were very friendly. It probably helped that we had a tour guide,” Wagner said.“I should also mention that they are primarily Spanish speaking, but you really only needed a basic understanding of Spanish. I took it in high school and I was fine. Some speak English too,” said Wagner.The Mercyhurst students stayed four or five to a hotel room during their stays in Quito and the Galápagos Islands.“Two of my friends went so we were in a room together, but by the end of the trip we were all pretty much friends,” she said.During the five-day visit, Wagner said the group hiked and snorkeled.“My favorite part was probably the snorkeling,” she said. “That part was really neat. We did it twice.”Toward the end of the trip the students visited the Otavalo market.Wagner said, “This is where we got to bargain and buy most of our items.“I brought back a dream catcher and hats for my little cousins. My dad collects shotglasses and I brought back T-shirts.”At the airport on the way back to Quito, there was one official hiccup.Wagner said, “All of the islands are a nature reserve. You can't take anything with you, seashells or sand.”One member of her party was caught with contraband.“They got a warning, 'Don't do that again,'” she said.The daughter of James and Theresa Wagner of Butler wouldn't mind making a return trip to the Galapagos, perhaps after she graduates in May.“I would love to go back again. I personally love working with wildlife. This was the perfect place to go. I am hoping with my future job, I get to go down again,” she said.
