Justin Dalaba - Fall 2014
Justin Dalaba (’16) studied abroad in New Zealand in 2014 and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Conservation Biology. He is currently a science communications coordinator at Cornell University.
"When choosing to study at St. Lawrence University, a few wise words my dad imparted on me have resonated with every choice that followed. He told me that “life is just a series of infinite choices...” At the time, choosing a college felt like the most important decision in my life, but I’ve come to realize it is the series of decisions at each crossroad that ultimately make us who we are. Studying abroad was one of the most influential choices I have made in my career.
I became involved in the SLU community, and as a committed member of the rowing team, missing a whole semester on campus felt like an unrealistic dream. Upstate New York is home to me, but deep down my intuition urged me to see what else was out there. I was not looking for a vacation in some faraway place, but an immersive experience that would elevate my education, values, and mindset. New Zealand fit the bill.
I had chosen the path to a Conservation Biology degree, and decided that one of the least polluted countries in the world might offer a glimpse into how a society developed in tune with the natural world. My coursework that semester included Māori society, understanding environmentalism, New Zealand plant ecology, and marine invertebrates. My extracurriculars brought me to the bluest glacial lake, bioluminescent glowworms, spearfishing with the locals, and wild encounters with the world’s only alpine parrot (they can be a bit too curious). I even spent a class on the University of Otago’s largest research vessel capturing video of an unfamiliar world: the ocean floor. These experiences have stuck with me more than what was in my textbooks.
My abroad experience prepared me to set my own course, and to embrace transformation, in both my personal and professional life. It invoked an adventurous spirit that has opened my eyes to new ways of learning. The experience in some ways reinforced my values, but it also gave me a whole new sense of learning beyond the classroom. The Māori have a deep kinship between the human and natural world that helped me see the way societies interact with nature from a new perspective. One of the most profound experiences was connecting on a spiritual level when I joined our Māori guide in prayer under the stars around the largest living Kauri tree in New Zealand. It was, in many ways, a parallel journey to discovering myself and a lifelong pursuit toward conservation.
So my takeaway is this. Every day we are faced with choices. Some may have monumental outcomes or even alter the course of our lives and careers. It is not always about the place you’re going, but the mindset you carry. Wherever you choose to go, choose to show up. Be a fish outside the fishbowl. Open your eyes and mind to new perspectives, and get familiar with being uncomfortable. You may find that seeing the world differently is not a bad thing."