It was during these times that I would look around at the bunk beds in disbelief, wondering how I, a boy from Santa Ana, ended up 2,846 miles from home among people from all over the world.

All it took was four young women, four hefty trash bags and a willingness to leave the beach of El Cocal, Costa Rica better than we had found it.

“It's so green!” was all I could think when I landed in the Galapagos. Three planes, months of planning, and 3,010 miles later and I all I could think was “It’s so green.”

I had a lot of good experiences in the Nan Province of Thailand, especially teaching kids for four weeks.