Written by Kyla Wendel, 2023-24 Latitudes Student
Experiencing the Beauty of Port Douglas
Having been in Queensland my last semester, I thought I was prepared for the sheer beauty that is Port Douglas but I was mistaken. Already a month into my stay and I’m still in awe of my surroundings. The beautiful beaches and the tropical trees that surround them are jaw-dropping. I’ve been able to appreciate the natural beauty here in different ways such as taking in sunsets on the beach, stargazing in the hostel’s pool, and driving through the Daintree Rainforest. While volunteering at the Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas I’ve been working with Australian native animals. Not only have I bonded with several different animals but I’ve also learned a lot about them. Thanks to the keepers at the habitat, I’ve gained many different facts about snakes, crocodiles, birds, kangaroos, and other animals they have in their care. According to the keepers, the crocodiles’ favorite meals are volunteers named Kyla. While at the habitat I’ve done many different kinds of work such as raking, hosing down enclosures, prepping food bowls, and even feeding joeys (baby kangaroos) with a bottle. It’s fun, educational, and fulfilling work.
Navigating Challenges and Embracing Growth
The most challenging part of my trip was the first week of my trip when I was adjusting to everything. Figuring out the ins and outs of the hostel I was living in and the place I was working at was two of my challenges. I hadn’t gotten close with keepers at the habitat yet so it was also hard meeting many new people and navigating new friendships with the people around me. Not only did I have to adjust to my new environment, but I also had to adjust to the extreme heat that the people in Port Douglas are experiencing. The humidity and heat were nothing like what I was used to, being at least 100ºF every day, and it didn’t help that most of the work I did was outdoors. However, I was able to get semi-used to the heat and added things to my routine to prevent myself from overheating. I also now have a community of new friends at the habitat who always make sure that I’m feeling well during a particularly hot day.
Finding Joy in Connections
The best part of my trip has been getting to know the people and the animals I work with. The other volunteers, there are now eight of us, are all amazing. We all work together and live together so we’ve really bonded due to all the time we spend together. We also have the common interests of working with animals and going on adventures so it’s easy for us to get along. We’ve all gone out in town with the keepers a few times and always have a blast. Having people to connect with while we’re all going through our independence journey has made the process a really enjoyable experience. Figuring out who we are on our own and what it’s like to be away from our homes and comfort zones adds a whole new perspective of ourselves. Doing this while we take care of animals who all have amazing personalities has been a dream. Some of the animals are close friends of mine, while others are enemies. Still, getting bitten, pooped on, peed on, and whatever else that may come, it’s all worth it in the end.
Surprising Discoveries and Cultural Insights
What has surprised me about Port Douglas is the small local community they have here. It seems like everyone knows everyone. While staying at the hostel I met and befriended a girl from Canada and then two weeks later she was working at a cafe we went to. A lot of the time we see and talk to people then see them again later in the week. Since it’s such a small area, people living here know each other more often than not. There is also a constant flow of tourists here, which I expected being right by the Great Barrier Reef and all, but I hadn’t realized how international the people visiting would be. It’s refreshing to have so many people from different parts of the world in one place, whether they’re from Scotland, Germany, Canada, the UK, or wherever else, it’s been great seeing how much in common we have despite being from different countries with such different cultures.
Inspired by Kyla’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey!
