The Tongans have it figured out when it comes to pace of life. This whole island time mentality is pure magic. I first experienced it in Hawaii, but since coming to the South Pacific, I’m watching life unfold on a whole new level of CHILL. 

Pace. Pace is everything. Specifically, a slow pace. This is coming from a notorious over-thinker and activity-addict, so my acceptance of this is saying a lot. I’ve long been addicted to productivity and the ability to have tangible accomplishments to show that can vouch for my work ethic, but this mindset of constant doing really gets kicked to the curb once one decides to go full-immersion into the dreamy, technicolor, supercharged, yet peaceful world of island life. 

Media serves a lot of different purposes in today’s society, and can invoke a huge range of emotions. For those of us with a passion for imagery, audio, and other types of creative outlets, there is an immense responsibility to ensure we’re spreading the right messages to our audience. In the marine conservation world, my cohorts and I have taken on the rather large task of illuminating the problems and threats faced by our ocean and its inhabitants.