Marine debris in Alaska and turtles in Guatemala

Although I don't depart Kodiak for another 2 weeks, I really only have 4 days to prepare for Guatemala. On Monday, I will be leaving for a 10 day beach clean up on Afognak Island with Island Trails Network for which I will be part of a crew in charge of clearing marine debris from a remote beach. I expect to find debris from the Japanese tsunami of 2011 as well as from local fishing vessels and container ships. In 2012, I did a 5 day beach clean up in Halibut Bay, Kodiak with the Youth Conservation Crew I was a part of. Cleaning marine debris is hard work but the humbling and rewarding aspects outweigh the negatives. I am looking forward to this experience to make a difference and to visit a new part of the Kodiak archipelago.

The beach in Halibut Bay is so remote that the only way to reach it is by float plane or boat. I estimate that no more than 50 people per year visit Halibut Bay, yet the 5 mile long beach is blanketed with marine debris, mostly plastics. It upsets me that such a remote beach is plagued by consumerism.  

The sun sets over the Katmai Peninsula on the mainland from Halibut Bay.

I should probably be packing for Guatemala and/or my trip to Afognak. Instead, I'm doing some research on Guatemala. Here are some quick facts about the country:

• Guatemala is located just south of Mexico and north of El Salvador and Honduras in Central America
• The majority of people speak Spanish, but there are 23 official languages
• Population ~ 14,647,100
• The per capita income is ~ $5,300
• Guatemala is the 2nd poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, after Haiti
• The main industries are sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, coffee, and tourism
• Guatemala is considered 5th on the list of biodiversity hotspots in the world

While I'm in Guatemala, I'll spend 8 weeks volunteering for a conservation organization called Arcas in Hawaii, Guatemala which is a tiny village on the Pacific coast. Hawaii is only 8km away from Monterrico, a popular beach getaway for tourists and Guatemalans alike. Parque Hawaii is a 3 hectare park dedicated to conservation of wildlife. Crocodiles, iguanas, and Pacific leatherback and olive ridley sea turtles are the primary subjects of research and conservation in Hawaii, where there is even a turtle hatchery. My job will include turtle egg collection, beach patrols, assisting with research, environmental education with local students, community development through teaching English and organizing beach clean ups, and talking to visitors. I am hoping to be placed with a host family, although there are volunteer dorms they may have me live in if there aren't enough available host families. I'll take Spanish lessons a few times a week and I look forward to the constant language immersion! 

After 2 months doing turtle conservation work in Hawaii, I'll have a month left before my flight home. My current plan is to spend some time in Antigua, Lago Atitlan, and Xela. In those areas there are plenty of volcanoes to climb, lots of Spanish immersion schools to learn from, and salsa dance lessons to take! 

See you in 17 days, Guatemala!