Summer school has negative connotations in most people’s minds, and for a time I was no different. When I was in middle and high school, summer school was for flunkies trying to squeak by to the next grade.
Once I reached college, however, summer school became a necessary evil in order to complete my bachelors degree in four years.
Throughout my college career I developed a suspicion that my advisors were conspiring against me to eliminate any possibility for beach trips or tanning time. Convinced that spending the summer months inside a classroom would most certainly cause a Vitamin D deficiency, I was forced to seek alternatives. It was the least I could do to protect my health, right? And how often can you wrangle school credit for traveling? My South American summer school experience was far removed from the stuffy, humid lecture halls of years past and unlike the Chemistry Summer of 2007 or the August of Econ in 2008, the lessons I learned during summer 2009 are ones that I will absolutely never forget.
This summer session I opted to participate in a study abroad, an opportunity offered by the UNCG hospitality department.
Knowing this was my chance to skip traditional classroom studies and be able to travel, I was sure to complete my application early and be first in line for interviews to take part in a 22day course centered on developing community-based tourism.
Once accepted, I packed my bags, grabbed my passport and prepared for my Ecuadorian experience. Under the guidance of Professor Cardenas, or as we all call him, David, 14 students completed the application process and worked together to raise the funds to go. This was our chance to apply our lectures and textbook teachings in tangible plans for the small coastal community of Ayampe, Ecuador. We flew in to the capital city of Quito, where the group spent a few days touring the town, tasting local cuisine and mapping out our steps for the next three weeks. Shortly after, we embarked on a 10-hour bus ride to the coast. Upon arrival, we were greeted outside of the lodge at la Tortuga, the hostel we’d be calling home for the next two weeks. Our hosts greeted us with open arms, hugs and kisses, and excited fanfare — it was unlike any welcome I’d received in the states and it didn’t take long for us to settle in and feel completely comfortable.
Our class first spent time observing and experiencing tourism in Ecuador; the only way to do this was to act as tourists ourselves. Days consisted of surfing, snorkeling and salsa lessons followed by whale-watching and horseback riding. In the evenings we built bonfires on the beach and practiced our new dance skills at the discotheque. We ate fresh oysters, squid and octopus, and indulged daily in fresh fruit juices. The opportunities for fun felt endless but at the end of a several days of sun, sand and surf, it was time to view how the citizens of Ayampe really live. Our first class consisted of a tour of the small village of Ayampe, which serves as home to about 300 residents. It quickly became obvious that the amenities offered at our nearby hostel greatly surpassed those experienced by the locals. The residents of Ayampe live well below the poverty line, miles from any healthcare facilities and with limited access to potable water.
The one school in town offers classes through grade 5, after which families are forced to pay to send children by bus to the next town for studies. With scarce resources and lack of available work, most children will not receive any formal education after they turn 10 or 11.
This course was created to help meet the
needs of the community by developing tourism in the area. Our class
studied many of the ways that developing tourism can greatly benefit
this village by providing jobs, increasing income to the area, creating
infrastructure that can be used by both tourists and locals, and
developing access to water and healthcare that they so greatly need. We
also studied many of the negative effects that are associated with
tourism development — depletion of natural resources, increases in
crime and the compromise of cultural authenticity. From there, we
created a strategic plan to develop tourism within the community that
would benefit business owners and locals alike to improve the overall
quality of life while protecting the natural and cultural resources so
unique to this small coastal town.
Proper implementation of these plans
could not happen overnight so our goal this summer was to strengthen
our relationship with those in the community and network with the
influential leaders in the area. During the two weeks we were there, we
were able to help local contractors develop a park on school grounds
that would serve as a common space for community members.
We
built a library and provided a printer for the students with funds we
raised in the States. We got students involved by having
them help us clean up trash around town and on the beach, rewarding
them with popcorn and a movie for their participation. Our class also
planned and conducted an Earth Day event in which we educated community
members about water quality, waste management and recycling.
By
the end of our visit, it became obvious that the time and energy we
invested in bettering the community was well spent. The ideas we
developed inspired the hope that through sustainable tourism
development, jobs could be created, better education provided and
healthcare made accessible to the community. We left with processes in
place to develop a nonprofit in the area that would catalyze the
sustainable development plans we initiated.
Participating in
this experience provided much more than the six credit hours I was
originally seeking. I was able to get handson experience, cultivate
deep friendships with classmates I otherwise may not have met and try
new and exciting adventures I’d heretofore only dreamt about. From now
on, summer school has a whole new meaning.
If you or someone you know is interested in participating in this exciting opportunity, visit www.uncg.edu/rth/
ecuadortrip, or contact David Cardenas at 336.334.4738. Applications
are open to all majors and are not limited to UNCG students.
