When I used to hear someone say, “That experience changed my life,” I always felt a bit skeptical. I mean, how could one experience change the entire course of a person’s life? But now I get it, because it happened to me.

Just last week I found myself off the coast of Honduras on the island of Utila, accepting a certificate as a PADI SCUBA Dive Instructor. I never could have imagined this is where I would end up, but it’s all thanks to one experience with one unbelievable organization: GIVE.

Three years ago I decided to do my second trip with GIVE, this time to Nicaragua and I stayed for the Reef Conservation Add-on. I had just graduated with a social work degree from Ohio State, and was planning on returning for my Master’s in Social Work. But after experiencing the cultural richness of Nicaragua and exploring the coral reefs of Little Corn Island, my life was changed forever.