While in University I was extremely fortunate to participate in McGill's Barbados Field Study Semester at their campus in Holetown, Barbados. For four months I took classes, researched and worked on rehabilitating an active sand quarry, while also spending as much time in the sea as possible. This was a life changing experience because I learned about water resource management while spending my weekends surfing, swimming, and sailing. I have always loved immersive learning, and I got more than I bargained for when we were learning about fecal contamination in the local waters. The same waters in which I learned to scuba dive had failed our water quality tests. These waters which are home to diverse and fragile species, as well as a thriving tourism industry, were being impacted by what we flushed down out toilets. This experience shook me to my core and strengthened my sense of responsibility to protect water in Barbados, as well as back home. My love of water and my awareness of the various threats it faces have shaped my role in protecting it.