18/10/13 A World Apart
I’ve now been here at Cap Ternay, Seychelles for two months and I’ve one
month to go! If I had to describe my time here at the GVI with one phrase, it
would be “A dream come true”. Just within the first week, I was so lucky to see
three turtles, and two sharks. If you come to this base, with just a little
interest in the Marine life or diving, you will have your mind blown out of all
the amazing new experiences. Now two months in my volunteer work, I can say
that I’ve meet a lot of the fascinating wonders in the Oceans. From a 1
centimeter Anemone fish, to a 1,5 meter Marbel Rays and 2,5 meter long Nurse
shark. Just to mention a few!
The base here at Cap Ternay is primitive, but comfy. Don’t come here if
you are expecting luxury and five star accommodation. You get so much more!
Just the fact that you are living and working in the Seychelles is privilege.
The diving here is an absolute dream. The first time I came in the
water, I was a bit nervous, because it had been so long since I’ve been diving.
But the staff here was really good to make you feel safe, and my time taking
the advanced course felt like a game. The first couple of weeks you are
constantly tried mentally and physically. All the new things you have to learn,
such as all of your duties, including filling the tanks on the compressor,
makes your head packed with new information. That’s not all; you also have to
get to know all the new people you arrived with and the oldies on base. But it
is all worth it!! How often can you say to your friends and family at home,
that you have lizards running up and down in your bedroom, big bats just
outside your window and can collect mangos a few meters from where you are
sleeping? I love to be here, it’s a world apart from what I came from back in
cold Denmark. In the weekends you can go and explorer the other Islands, which
I did. I’ve been on both Bird and La Digue Island, and it’s hard to explain how
it was with just a few words. Bird Island was like if you just stepped into a
postcard. The really crystal clear waters with palm trees everywhere, is so
pretty, but not the best thing. That would be the giant tortoises walking
around the bungalows you live in, and the fact you can go snorkeling and come
up close with turtles in the waters. But if you don’t want to go onto another
island, Mahe is still full with opportunities. I went for a snorkel with
Whalesharks! That was just so crazy and unreal, it was like you were watching a
documentary about whalesharks, like you weren’t really there, so amazing! 
One of the things we’ve learned is how vulnerable the ecosystem in the
sea is, and how important this is to our world. This has GVI really pointed
out, and some stuff I didn’t even know was happening. So I’ll spread the wise
words about how precious our oceans are to us. After being here for almost two
months, I wish I just could stay in the water the whole time! Exploring the one
thing, human beings, know very little of, the great ocean. It is crazy that we,
as human beings, have so little knowledge of the Oceans. We know even more about
the space that the deep sea!
I feel like I’m contributing to a good cause, by making all the surveys
and observations. I wish I could stay
here, but I’m going home in a month. I would highly recommend coming here with
GVI!
Nanna Hvid, Denmark.
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