In my freshman year at FIU, I joined an organization called Alternative Breaks. According to the school's website, "Alternative Breaks (aB) is FIU's largest, award-winning service learning program that allows students to experience diverse cultures and environments around the world where they can create unforgettable memories and long-term friendships." This organization offers students the opportunity to travel during their winter, spring or summer breaks to perform volunteer work. Each trip has a focus on a particular social issue and my group's focus was on environmental concerns.

 

We had a group of ten students come together and raise enough money to be able to travel from Miami all the way across the country to Catalina Island, California. We spent our spring break camping on the side of a mountain truly immersed in nature. We cooked our meals over and open fire, camped in tents, showered with a hose, and our only means of communication with the local town was via satellite radio. We spent our days removing invasive species, mainly genista, from the sides of the mountains and also hiking the trails cutting back dead trees so new ones could flourish.