Traveling My Way Through Grad School

I always knew that one day I wanted to get my Master’s degree, but I also knew that I didn’t want to get a traditional biology degree. Sitting in a lab running experiments and doing statistics (blegh!) was not my idea of a fun time. So when one of my mom’s friends mentioned that she was in a Master’s program where she got to travel to three different countries and learn from people around the world; I knew that was something I needed to look into. I want to tell you that I took a lot of time contemplating my other options but once I found Project Dragonfly at Miami University, well I didn’t look many other places. Three countries, all virtual classes, relatively inexpensive (by grad school standards) and, best, of all no thesis!

While I didn’t get off on the best foot with the program it was the best decision I have ever made. I do wish I would’ve waited a year after undergrad before starting it though. And I would’ve known to wait if I read the fine print, but what college senior does that. Apparently classes started in April, you know right when a senior would be finishing research projects, trying to apply for jobs and studying for finals because you haven’t paid attention in class all semester. Luckily, they were very flexible with me being a little late with those first few deadlines so I could focus on finishing undergrad.

I definitely made the first year of my program way harder then it needed to be, but I wouldn’t change it because it led to some amazing adventures in the end. And I wish I was just talking about this first little snafu, but it unfortunately the struggle continued that first year. I was really young compared to the others in the program and was only working a seasonal job which made doing a research project more challenging. I didn’t have longstanding support system and connections within the park district I was working in yet, so I was limited in what I was able to do. Not only that but I was slightly looked down upon by some of the other students in the program because of my perceived lack of experience. Despite this, I found some really amazing mentors, both in the program and outside of it that helped me immensely.

Now for the best part, the three countries I traveled to were: Mexico where we swam with whale sharks and seal lions, Paraguay where we saw monkeys and taught children about nature, and Guyana where I learned from the Indigenous tribes about ecotourism. 10 glorious days in each country over three summers learning with some of the brightest minds from around the world. It really didn’t get better than that. In later posts, I will dive into what I did in each location and give my suggestions for travelling in those countries, because I cannot recommend them enough.

The funniest part about the three countries I ended up going to, is that none of them even made it on my top five list when I started the program. My ideal three countries were Belize, Kenya and Australia; none of which I ended up going to. There are over 20 possible locations you can choose from and you pick your top 6 each summer; you then pray to the Dragonfly gods that you get your top picks. As much as I still want to go to those three countries, I am so very glad that I didn’t get placed in any of these three programs.

After my first trip, I changed my priorities and decided to pick my top 6 based on program theme instead of country. While yes seeing the Great Barrier Reef is high on my bucket list, learning about the ocean habitats is not something that could translate to teaching outdoor recreation in Ohio quite as easily. So I switched and really focused on the theme and, man, was that the right decision for me. I was able to dive into programming that was right up my alley and that could directly translate to what I was doing here at my job. Paraguay focused on ecotourism and creating ecoclubs with local children that were incredibly similar to the adventure clubs I was creating here in Cleveland. Different content, but same struggles of getting kids interested in the clubs and keeping them around for more than one or two outings. And what better way to learn how to engage the community than by learning from Indigenous tribes in Guyana about how interconnected their lives are to each other and the natural environment around them.

While I think I would have still enjoyed going on other trips, these three trips, what I learned on them and the amazing people I met have shaped my live for the better in so many ways. I wouldn’t be half the educator or person I am today, if I hadn’t taken the leap and decided to start a grad school program where I got to travel the world right out of undergrad. And I cannot recommend enough that you also take that scary leap into an unknown adventure in front of you.