Learning how to Scuba Dive has been a bucket list item for as far back as I can remember. At age 7, I was first exposed to the world of ocean exploration through Jaques Cousteau. My obsession with the ocean dwindled during my teenage years, but I rediscovered my passion on a term abroad in Australia. Trapped in land locked Schenectady, I searched for a way back to the sea, and found it through the Klemm Fellowship. Upon stepping foot in Koh Tao, and seeing the beaches, the 42 hour journey and countless Dramamine pills became worth it. My first week in the water was magical. On the last day, of my third and final certification, I got sick with decompression sickness. Frustration was followed by 10 hours in a decompression chamber, and 3 days in and out of the Hospital. I wasn't going to be able to dive again. For the next two weeks, I took part in marine conservation from outside the water, manning the boats, counting the trash, entering data, and communicating our work. Through this, I experienced a different kind of conservation then what I would have been doing. Conservation isn't supposed to be fun, it's supposed to be impactful. Protecting our world means doing the grunt work, so the next generation can see what you've seen.
Acknowledgements: Klemm fellowship