For years, as my friends and family can attest, I have been dreaming of volunteering with a sea turtle conservation organization. When I turned 40 last year, I decided it was finally time to make this dream come true. It did. In a BIG way. I ended up winning my trip from SEETurtles, a group dedicated to conservation tourism that I have helped advise over the past year or so. They paid for me to volunteer with the Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative (or ICAPO-Iniciativa Carey del Pacifico Oriental) in Padre Ramos, Nicaragua for one week. Otherwise, I would have paid to volunteer for a week with them (that’s how most volunteer “vacations” work). I wanted to see more of the country, so I chose to spend two weeks total in Nicaragua. I’ll share thoughts on my second week with Paso Pacifico in a follow up post.

My week with the turtles was more than I ever could have imagined. The joy of holding my first hatchling. The surprise at how strong these newborns are. The awe of watching a female hawksbill lay her eggs. The thrill of burying her eggs safely in a hatchery. Her nest has now become “my” nest and I am proudly awaiting the news of tens of hatchlings arriving in the weeks to come.

Are all volunteer experiences like this? I’m not sure. I’ve certainly volunteered before, but this was on a completely different level. This was my first travel volunteer experience. And I’d definitely be open to more. For those of you who are passionate about a cause, like I am about sea turtle conservation, I highly recommend seeking out such an opportunity. It provides you intimate exposure and opportunity to better understand the issues and solutions. The immersive experience is one of the best ways to learn too. I now know more about sea turtles and the challenges they face than I did before. As a result, I can be an even more dedicated advocate.

If you’re looking to learn more about an issue you are interested in, whether it is conservation or health care or education, here are some things to keep in mind when considering a volunteer “vacation:”

1. This is NOT a vacation. The term volunteer “vacation” is a misnomer. This hit me as I boarded the first leg of my flight to Nicaragua. I would not be catching up on sleep. I was there to WORK and to do whatever they needed me to do. After all, it was for the turtles!
2. Be prepared to use skills you already have. Sitting in a bar in Padre Ramos, with my feet in the sand, and my fingers typing on a computer was the last thing I envisioned myself doing when I left for my trip. And, yet, when you’re asked to put together a brochure that promotes the organization’s tours and volunteer opportunities (both of which provide money to support the turtle conservation efforts) to be used at local hostels, you’ll do it. I was actually happy to be able to put my writing skills to work for a cause I care about.
3. Be prepared to try new things. Caring for turtles not only means late nights and early mornings, it also means sleeping in a hammock! Up until my first night in one, I’d catnapped in a hammock, but this was something new. A special thanks to Alexander Gaos, co-founder of ICAPO, for the tip on how to properly sleep in a hammock—diagonally!
4. Learn the language. When you’re in a remote part of the world, the likelihood of the locals speaking English is slim. While I’d brushed up on my Spanish a little bit prior to departure, I was not at a point where I could speak at length with the locals who patrolled the beaches or managed the hatchery. This is one opportunity I feel I missed—being able to really connect with the people I was interacting with. Thank goodness for sign language and smiles and laughter AND translators!
5. Be open to unexpected joy. One morning, at daybreak, I was awakened from my slumber, in the hammock. A nest had hatched and I could hear the now familiar sound of hundreds of tiny flippers against the blue bucket they were put in upon hatching. A huge smile came across my face. It was time to release them in the estuary. I was up at an hour I rarely see and yet I was thrilled beyond belief. I could think of nothing I’d rather be doing in that moment (even sleeping) than helping amazing turtle hatchlings find their way to the ocean.

There is a sense of fulfillment that comes with the realization of a dream. And a desire to create a new dream. In this case, it still involves turtles. My next dream? Watch the world’s largest sea turtle species, leatherbacks, nest and help protect their hatchlings too.