For example, the really cool dodo bird lived in Mauritius for a long time until Europeans stepped foot on these beaches, and then they went extinct before a hundred years had passed. The beautiful ebony tree, with a solid black core, is nearly gone, too. People cut them down to make nice furniture, but the trees' growth could never keep up the human economy. In our scuba diving training, we are learning about protecting the ocean. Sadly, here in Mauritius we see plastic and trash in the water nearly every day. It is heartbreaking to see what we’re doing to this beautiful planet. Lizzy and I are committed to doing our part to make a difference in any way we can].
This adventure will be coming to a close for us fairly soon as well. We return home to the United States in the second week of May. This journey has been an incredible experience and will impact the rest of our lives in so many ways. Mauritius will hold a very special place in my heart forever!
Every single one of you can go on an adventure abroad like this one day, to a place that interests you! You can study penguins in the arctic, archeology in Egypt, or anything else. If you are determined and really want to pursue something, there is almost always a way to make it happen. There are grants to help pay for it, teachers to support you, and people in other countries to welcome you with open arms. Maybe some of you don't want to leave the United States and that's okay, too. There is also plenty of learning and exploring to be done back home!
Lizzy and I have had a wonderful time getting to know all of you and we are so lucky to have been paired with such great kids!
