The Harvard experience is full of unexpected. Among courses that surprise, challenge, inspire, one that will forever stay in my memory is OEB 51 or the Biology and Evolution of Marine Invertebrates. 

There are many classes that will open your eyes to the world around you – either in the scientific, socioeconomic or cultural way – but nothing comes close to the small, 12 people classroom that from a somewhat invertebrate-ignorant individual transforms you into an enthusiast of those miniscule marine creatures. An enthusiast further ignited by the field research component that was soon about to take us all the way to Central America to observe the systems and concepts we’ve been learning about throughout the semester. But let me begin the story from the very beginning…

You can only imagine the overwhelming state of happiness my roommate and I experienced when we learned that we both got into the one course that we’ve been talking about taking for the longest time. A course that for sceptics would be deceitful at first: one that focuses solely on the life that evolved in the marine environment so just about the first organisms to inhabit our planet. And all the invertebrates that came soon after. I must humbly admit that I never considered myself passionate about invertebrates – vertebrates naturally, as an avid neuroscientist I gravitated to the more complex nervous structures. But before I sell my soul away to vertebrate studies, I decided I must come back to the roots, challenge myself to a topic important to my future career yet fully new to my academic background. The dream was OEB 51.

First day of classes started slow, a few introductions from a relatively very small group of classmates, some logistics. But then it took off. It’s rare to find someone truly passionate about a topic – yet that word indefinitely perfectly described the two professors who entered our classroom that day. Individuals focused on their disparate research area, yet both sharing one common trait: when they started talking about their subjects, you could not help but listen. Listen, and get excited with them. Get hooked on topics that a few seconds ago you didn’t realize existed. And so, it started.

Spring break came faster than expected, as it always does. The beauty of college years. And with the short school break, the what was referred to as the “field component” of our OEB51 course. Taking off in a tiny, turbine plane from Panama City to Bocas del Toro, none of us knew what to anticipate, our minds were just excited for the adventure awaiting. And what was waiting was beyond any of our expectations. Placed in a small research base in the heart of Bocas del Toro forests, right on the Caribbean Sea. We were waking up every morning to pick our heads at the laboratory, observing the biology of Cnidaria (jelly fish), Porifera (sponges), sea stars, clams, even shrimp or crabs. All the concepts we saw on slides a few weeks earlier, suddenly were making sense when we could examine them on animals that we found while snorkeling on the previous day. Around midday it was time to gear up – embrace the wet suit, boots, gloves, fins goggles and snorkels, and embark on a small boat to different parts of the Archipelago. And snorkel and dive freely for the next 4-5 hours spotting the invertebrates, observing their behaviors, collecting sediments. And marvel at the beauty of the sea floor, one beyond breath-taking despite a reasonable amount of documentaries I have delved into before. The afternoons and evenings would bring a return to the lab, diligently describing everything we saw that day, with a dose of inverte-bingo! as the whole team. We even were able to meet some of the based in Bocas researches, from the UK, Colombia, Germany, and learn how one studies the color choices and perception in frogs, while others listen to wave sounds in the morning as part of their studies. What a life!

I could not be more grateful that I have seeked out this course during my undergraduate years, and would recommend that to anyone at least a little curious about the surrounding world. Yes, perhaps you have your career, and interests clearly laid out, but experiences like that will keep you humble with how much you don’t know about yet, and how immensely captivating it is to keep exploring. Keep your hearts open folks! And if ever given a chance, do yourself a favor and visit Bocas del Toro:) or at least talk to the OEB department professors!