Life After Magellan

Life After Magellan:

My Magellan was so amazing I never wanted to come home! Traveling the world independently was definitely an eye opening experience. Before my trip people were always asking me, “Wow, aren’t you scared to go all alone?? Won’t you get lonely??” I wish I counted how many times I got asked that. Truthfully, I wasn’t scared at all for that part because in my mind, the other people in the hostel are alone too so why not just be alone together and become friends right? It also helps that I would consider myself a very friendly and personable person. During my trip I really only felt lonely a few times in the beginning but after about a week and a half I was loving every second of it and never felt lonely. I made amazing friends everywhere I went. If you ever get to travel the world I highly recommend staying in hostels because you meet so many other travelers from around the world and form friendships that will last a lifetime. Now I can truly say that I have friends all around the world! Traveling the world alone also made me extremely independent, even more than I was before. I had to figure out how to get from place to place, cook, and be able to handle whatever was thrown my way. My issues started right away, when I landed in Australia and found out my luggage got left behind in Los Angeles! That was definitely not the first thing I wanted to hear after landing in Australia. I had to buy clothes and essentials to last me until my luggage got to me, which ended up being 4 whole days! I even had to extend my stay at the first hostel and cancel the second one because I had to stay longer to wait for my luggage to arrive. Words cannot explain how relieved I was once I saw my blue bag once again!!

I did so many fun and exciting things during my Magellan that I had the time of my life- literally. I was so busy every day and I loved it that way. I didn’t even have time to miss people and feel lonely so that definitely helped me not feel homesick. I got to go scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, play with kangaroos and wallabies, go skydiving, surfing, bungy jumping, snowboarding, hold a koala, hike in the rainforests, climb waterfalls, be surrounded my wildlife and nature everywhere I went, all while creating memories that will last a lifetime! This project will not only look great on my resume, but it also taught me a lot.

After the most exciting month of my life and an amazing start to summer, everything else seems so boring. Yes it was great to come home for the first time since Christmas basically, and see my friends and family who I missed, but having an everyday schedule of waking up, working out, going to work, playing sports, going to sleep and repeating, it’s just not nearly as fun as my time abroad was. Before 2017 I had only been out of the country to Canada, but in the past six months I have been to seven different countries (including Canada again). After that all I want to do is keep traveling the world and go to all these amazing different places on my bucket list. Also, I definitely want to go back and see other places in Australia and New Zealand, and I could honestly see myself living in one of those countries when I am older.

W&J and the Magellan Project have made my life goals possible ad I cannot express enough how thankful I am for the opportunities I was given. I HIGHLY recommend doing a Magellan if you are a W&J student because it was such an amazing once in a lifetime experience. And if you aren’t a W&J student, I still highly recommend going out of your comfort zone and go see the world! There are so many cool places to see that are so different than your everyday life in the US and it is really eye opening to see how the rest of the world lives. The Magellan Project has not only changed my outlook on life, but it has also prepared me for the rest of my life and I will be forever grateful for that.

Self-Assessment

Self-Assessment: A short summary of my research- for a more in depth view read all my posts on my blogs.

            The coolest thing about Australian wildlife is that over 80% are endemic to Australia (not found anywhere else in the world). Just like Australia, the majority of wildlife in New Zealand is native to the country. Unfortunately, both of these countries have extinction problems. 1/3 of Australia’s unique mammals are at the risk of extinction! The Australian government regulates international trade, protecting species against overexploitation and Australian ecosystems against the introduction of foreign species. As for New Zealand, Europeans bringing predators with them, along with the loss of habitat, led to the extinction of a number of species. Because of this tragedy, over 20% of New Zealand is covered in national parks and reserves. There is a strict no-take policy in these parts of the country which means that no fishing or disrupting the land is allowed.

My research had a profound effect on me. I truly realized how many species in Australia and New Zealand are endemic and endangered. The Great Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is as fragile as it is beautiful. Coral bleaching is becoming more and more of an issue for the reefs. They are an integral part in the survival of oceanic ecosystems. There are a few things that can be done so save the reefs including; not wearing sunscreen in the water, not touching the coral, and scientists removing the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish and the Drupella Snail.      

           

One of the most well known animals in Australia is the koala. One thing Australians can do to save koalas is stop building in their eucalyptus environments. Since this is the only area they can survive, if they are destroyed they have nowhere else to go. Because of this they are all crammed into the few eucalyptus woodlands left, spreading more diseases. Australians can also not let their pets  out at night as they prey on koalas. 80% of koalas along Queensland’s Coast have already been lost. The Australian Koala Foundation is hoping to secure a Koala Protection Act to help ensure the survival of koalas, modeled after the Bald Eagle Protection Act of the US which prohibits selling, killing or possessing the species.

            

Another iconic animal for Australia is the cassowary, Australia’s heaviest bird. They are endangered due to habitat destruction by houses and farms, pigs and dogs hunting them, and getting hit by cars. They are known as a keystone species, meaning that if they went extinct there would be huge repercussions as they are vital since they disperse seeds.

            

Native to an island off of Australia’s mainland, is the Tasmanian Devil of Tasmania. They are endangered due to Devil Facial Tumor Disease, where tumors grown around their face and muzzle and is highly contagious and make it difficult for them to feed.

            

Australia is home to two of the most venomous snakes in the world, the Inland taipan and the Eastern brown snake. The Inland taipan is so venomous that one bite has enough poison to kill 100 fully grown men, however it is shy unlike the Eastern brown snake which is responsible for about 60% of snake bite deaths in Australia.  

           

A cool fact about kangaroos is that they can do something called embryonic diapause. This means that they can literally pause the embryonic development and get pregnant again. They can have up to three embryos at a time! Kangaroos are similar to another one of Australia’s famous animals, the wallaby. However, there are distinct differences between the two including their snouts, where they live, and the size of them.

           

Echidnas are found all throughout Australia, and the “spines” on their bodies are actually long, hollow, tough hair follicles that serve as their main form of defense.

            

 New Zealand’s wildlife (Te Wao Nui) is divided into six habitats: The Coast (Takutai), The Islands (Moutere Rahui), The Wetlands (Ngo Repo), The Night (Te Po), The Forest (Te Wao Nui a Tane) and The High Country (Whenua Waotu). In caves are glowworms, which are actually the larvae of the Arachnocampa luminosa fly (found no where else). They glow due to a chemical reaction, and that light draws in insects who get stuck in the worms’ threads of silk.

            

The Coast: Whales are popular in New Zealand winters because that is their migrating season. Albatross’ are birds who can cover 1800km in just a single day! Fur Seals are the most common seals in NZ and their population is growing. Today commercial fishing is one of the main sources of death usually by entanglement and drowning. In New Zealand this species is protected by the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 which specifies that all wild seals cannot be touched or fed. New Zealand now has 6 penguin species: Yellow-eyed penguin, Erect crested penguin, Snares crested penguin, Fiordland crested penguin, Eastern rockhopper penguin, Little blue penguin (the world’s smallest penguin). Also, NZ has more species of sea birds nesting along its shores than any other country. There are many conservation movements going on to save the wildlife, sometimes to even move endangered species to protected islands. Also a rahui is a set of restrictions that local tribes place on activities and natural resources in the area in order to restore the area.

            

In the harsh landscape and extreme climate of the high country, almost every living thing is unique. The inhabitants of this rugged landscape are well-known for their resilient character. The world's only alpine parrot is the kea, the kea's intelligence helps it survive and adapt in the harsh alpine environments of the South Island. 

            

The Islands: Tuatara belong to an ancient family of reptiles that have remained virtually unchanged since before the time of the dinosaurs. They are the last of their kind on the planet. Tuatara today only survive in pest-free sanctuaries and off-shore islands. Another fact is that New Zealand has over 30 species of skink and over 40 species of gecko. Antipodes Island Parakeet is a parakeet found only on Antipodes Island. Island refugees show that the native birds and reptiles can thrive if we keep them safe from predators. These sanctuaries require ongoing care to remain pest free. 

            

The Forest: For it's size, New Zealand has lost more Rainforest than any other country on Earth! 99% of its original forest cover is lost forever. The kauri tree is a national treasure of New Zealand. Kauri are now threatened by the kauri dieback disease. Kauri dieback is caused by a fungus-like disease which is spread through soil movement. Please clean your shoes, tires and equipment of all soil before and after visiting kauri forests, and keep to the tracks.

            

The Wetlands:  Less than 10% of the wetlands that existed before human settlement remain today, and they support more bird life than any other habitat in New Zealand. 

            

The Night: The night reveals some of New Zealand's most distinctive and precious animals, like the iconic flightless bird, the kiwi, which are a symbol of New Zealand's unique natural heritage. Natives are even called Kiwis! Also, the morepork is New Zealand's only endemic owl.

            

This is a VERY condensed version of my research, so for the full research please see my in depth blogs I have already posted.

About Me

About me:

From the moment I heard of W&J and their Magellan Project, I knew I wanted to go to this school and do one. W&J has so many amazing opportunities for students to travel and that is exactly what I’ve wanted to do my whole life. My Magellan topic is “the differences in wildlife and environmental policies between Australia and New Zealand” and there are many reasons as to why I chose this particular topic. Ever since I was a little girl I loved any animal I have ever known or came in contact with. I was always playing outside in the creek and woods behind my house. I always made sure none of my friends or family would kill any animals, including the harmless little ants. My favorite animal used to be sea turtles after I swam with them while snorkeling in Hawaii in sixth grade. Being next to these giant peaceful animals was an eye opening experience. Normally on land we feel like the big ones, the ones that smaller animals are afraid of. But in the water, the majority of the wildlife is bigger than us and could harm us, yet they let us live in harmony with them while swimming, snorkeling, diving, etc. This experience made me fall even more in love with all animals. Ever since then whenever we visit new places, I want to go to a zoo, snorkel, go hiking, or any other activity that gets me closer to nature and different wildlife.

My passion for all types of animals since I was a little kid made me want to be a Veterinarian when I grew up. That is why I chose Washington & Jefferson College, because of their prestigious pre-med/ pre-health programs. I stayed with this mentality for a while until I realized I could never operate on animals, if I lost one I would never be able to move on from it. So I decided to just have a plethora of pets when I grow up: fish, cats, dogs, bunnies, etc. This however does not satisfy my love for wild animals such as elephants, tigers, koalas, kangaroos, lions, giraffes, and more. This is why I want to do a Magellan on wild animals such as the ones aforementioned. Learning more about each of the animals and studying how we has man kind can protect them from becoming endangered or disappearing as a whole is what I want to gain from this project.

I chose Australia and New Zealand for a number of reasons. I have always wanted to travel to these countries; they are on the top of my bucket list. I love traveling and my dream is to travel the world. I went to Italy for an intersession class, and this is something I had wanted to do from the moment I committed to being a member of the class of 2019 here at W&J. I am happy I followed through with my dream and made it happen. It also made me realize, that with the help of Washington & Jefferson College, I can achieve my other dreams as well. This is where the Magellan project comes in to play. By traveling to Australia and New Zealand I get to travel to two places on my bucket list while studying my love for wild animals and learning how to give them protection against exploitations and annihilation they so very much need. All two of these countries pride themselves in their wildlife. Well over half of the wildlife in Australia is native to the country, which makes it a unique place to study the endemic animals that you can find nowhere else such as kangaroos, koalas, and wallabies. This is also true for New Zealand, making it another unique place to study wildlife. Comparing the wildlife in these countries shows the differences in climate and origin that caused such species to be so different from each other.

By completing this research project, I hope that I can help make an impact on animal awareness here at W&J and hopefully to more people around the world by blogging about my experiences. The world needs to start taking care of these magnificent animals or else they will disappear for good. They were the first inhabitants of this world, and yet we continue to take their lives. After I graduate from Washington & Jefferson College, I plan on conducting research on endangered animals, or becoming part of some sort of law enforcement that would have the power to enforce such protectant laws for the animals, or something with psychology. This project would help give me the experience to do my first research on my own, and learn how to interact with people of different countries and continents which would help the psychology part of my future plan. By conducting this research project, I will learn more innovative ideas of how to save different types of wildlife, and how to apply that in their unique environments. I can make more people aware of the dangers of their actions and hopefully slow down and eventually stop the disappearance of endangered species. All in all this Magellan research project will fulfill my life dreams, give me experience in independent research, solidify my people skills which will help me in anything I do in life, and make a difference to wildlife as a whole one animal at a time.

The Magellan Project

The Magellan Project:

The Magellan Project at Washington & Jefferson College grants funding to students to create an independent study anywhere around the world or even just in the US. This is something the college is known for. The greatest part about this project is that it does not have to revolve around your majors or minors, it can be about anything you think of. For instance, I am studying neuroscience and psychology, but my Magellan was about wildlife!

There are many things we students must do before we can get approved for a Magellan. We have to think of a topic, and then create a proposal that includes every aspect of the trip, which the Magellan committee must approve. This proposal includes: a personal statement, a detailed essay of your project and why it is important to you, a budget including lodging, activities, food, flights, etc., and any contacts you have made regarding your research. This proposal was very hard to begin, as I have never planned anything like this before. However, there were many people I could talk to and get help from. It was very eye opening and prepared me for future proposals I may do in my life- my mom has even put me in charge of planning and budgeting our family vacations now!

The Magellan Project gave me, and many others, confidence as traveling the world independently can be very daunting. Doing so showed how strong and independent I truly am.