Dylan Rozansky - @drozansky9068
Dylan is a University of Miami student who is visiting the Galapagos as his study abroad program. During his time on Isabela he has worked at the Tortoise Conservation Centre - as part of his Service Learning Project, this has involved cleaning corrals, and assisting various jobs around the centre so that it remains in great condition for the tortoises and is a great experience for visitors of the centre.
What do you do in your free time/weekends on Isabela
I enjoy going to the beach, going snorkelling, surfing, and spending time with my host family.
What Interested you in the Galapagos And the Study abroad program
I was drawn by the amazing wildlife here that are not found anywhere else in the world
I picked this study abroad program because I had friends that went on it in the past and absolutely loved it. The number of trips the students get to take is amazing and I knew that I would love every single one of them. The third reason was I hadn’t been to South America before and I really wanted to come.
How did you become involved with IOI
University of Miami and IOI Study Abroad Program
How long are you going to be part of this program
months
What are your goals Why are you participating
My biggest goal coming here was to improve my Spanish because I have taken Spanish for the past 4ish years and I have never had the chance to use it outside of the classroom. I was really excited by the idea of using Spanish as my primary means of communication with people around me. Since I got here, I also really enjoyed learning how to surf because I never had the chance when I was younger and I want to get even better at it. Another goal was improving my free diving skills because we free dive in a lot of our classes and I wanted to be able to spend more time underwater and be able to dive deeper. I feel that I have managed to achieve all of these goals in the three months I have been participating in the IOI Study Abroad program and I plan to continue improving my Spanish once I have left Isabela and continue on my travels around South America.
How are you liking the experience
I absolutely love Isabela! The people here are so nice and it is a big change from life in the US. The field trips have been amazing and we have gotten to see some things that I thought I would only ever see in books – like manta rays, marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins, and hammerhead sharks. I know that I will come back to the Galapagos in the future!!
Would you recommend this to other travelers
Yes! It is a great way to see the Galapagos and makes you feel like you have found a second home!
For people coming after you is there any advice you’d tell them
Come with an open mind and be willing to step outside your comfort zone because it will make your experience that much better
The one thing you wished you’d pack.
I really wish I brought my hammock from home as it is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon or see the sunset.
One thing you regret bringing.
I regret bringing so many long sleeves because you just don’t need them down here!
Highlight of your trip
The highlight of my trip was seeing two giant manta rays at Tortuga, it was the coolest thing I have ever seen! I couldn’t believe how big they were!
