When Mr. Barrus, my Film Production teacher, first announced that a trip to Palau was in the works for students to create a documentary on the nation’s coral reef conservation, I admit: I was skeptical. It was hard to believe that within the next two months, all the logistics and moving parts would come together to allow his grandiose vision to come to fruition. As the date of departure loomed closer, however, the expectation I had of it all to be called off began to wane. We pushed full steam ahead, taking on training after training in preparation for the trip.

Finally, the long-awaited date was here: as I boarded the plane giddy with anticipation, my mind swelled with images of white sand beaches, sunset walks along the coast and crystal blue waters stretching for miles beyond the horizon. However, this was far from the reality

we would experience. Throughout the next five days, I would suffer from sleep deprivation, be confronted with some of my biggest fears and end each day in a sweaty, sticky-from-sunscreen state; my body and energy was pushed to their utmost limit on the daily. Despite the hardships, I wouldn’t have changed an aspect of the trip.

Those five days were among the most impactful few of my life. A cliche perspective, maybe: feeling fundamentally changed after a single trip. Beyond the knowledge I learned about coral conservation from the various experts we interviewed, I learned more major life skills in those five days than I ever have from classes or school. From the heat stroke I got on the first hike we did, trekking on a stone path through the dense forest, I learned just how important it is to stay hydrated. From the harsh tan lines I discovered at the end of each day, I learned how much more often I should be reapplying sunscreen. And finally, from the many hours we spent snorkeling in the water, I saw firsthand how delicate marine life truly was.

Then there was the social aspect. So picture this: when 18 students, practically strangers to one another, are brought to a completely unfamiliar island to spend the next five days together, what could the outcome possibly be? Before going on the trip I fully expected to keep to myself, interacting with others only when necessary. However, contrary to what I thought, by the end of the trip, we were all closer than any of us could have anticipated. Enduring hardships together, sharing rooms and playing nightly card games were only a few of the ways we grew to become friends.

We were all there for one purpose: to learn and explore. All being from different departments, each time we helped out one another, the more we understood about each area: from music to film, to science.

Although my initial impressions were slightly off, many were still met, albeit in a different way. There wasn’t any lounging and strolls on beaches, but we did swim alongside all sorts of marine life in the most pristine waters and experience an environment brimming with culture. Every time I see any one of the members that attended, we share a secret: the magic of Palau.