Have you ever thought, “I wish I could take a year off and just travel around the world”? Well, three lucky American teenagers were able to do just that. The teens-two males and one female — got an all-expenses paid, yearlong hike to five continents.

    This trip didn’t include any five-star hotels or shopping funs. Eighteen-year-old Jamie Fiel from Keller, Texas, 17-years-old Arsen Ewing from Canyon, California, and 16-years-old Tyler Robinson from Lincoln, Massachusetts, didn’t expect fancy treatment. They signed up for the experience of a lifetime, which included hard work, often uncomfortable accommodations, and encountered with some of nature’s most dangerous animals and environments.

    Jamie, Arsen, and Tyler were among hundreds of high school kids nominated by their science teachers to take this trip. Earthwatch Institute sponsored (赞助) this adventure. Each year, Earthwatch employs thousands of volunteers worldwide to help with scientific research projects.

    The group went all around the world to get a close look at the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Their assignments were as varied as their locations, and included measuring and attending pink flamingos in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, and tracking giant sea turtles in Costa Rica.