broad ...a most interesting place to learn gass*.
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witnessing
the Impact of Eco-Tourism
by Andrea Woodworth ’02
Belize.
It’s a place where the people are as warm and
inviting as the climate, and the ecology and land
scapes are as diverse and unique as the peoples and
their cultures. For three months 1 was able to experi
ence Belize’s lands, cultures and environment by in
terning at the Belize Audubon Society (BAS) in Belize
City
BAS is an environmental conservation organization
that was once associated with the Audubon Societies
of the United States but is now fully independent, op
erating in conjunction with the Belizean government.
One of the many dimensions of the organization is to
manage protected areas throughout the country.
As the marketing and development intern, one of
my tasks was to evaluate the aesthetics and function
of each protected area, including a variety of national
parks, national monuments, and nature reserves. I
then made recommendations as to how the function
and aesthetics could be improved upon. This provid
ed an excellent opportunity to travel the country to see
and experience many different ecosystems as well as
the different indigenous groups that reside in various
regions of the country
As my internship progressed, I became more and
more involved and personally interested in the role of
eco-tourism and its impact on Belizean society, partic
ularly in rural communities. This deep interest mosdy
arose out of the opportunity I was given to conduct
market research in regard to eco-tourism in five vil
lages that surround Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Crooked Tree is one of the seven protected areas
managed by BAS. In this project, I spearheaded the
creation of the market survey, recruited volunteers to
conduct the survey, and participated in its actual im
plementation. It was a wonderful learning experience
that could not have been possible without great insight
Andrea (right) interviews a community member from Crooked Tree Village as part of the eco-tourism survey she managed.
and advice from my Belizean mentors.
Those Belizean mentors are emerging leaders in
the world of environmental conservation. Among
developing countries, Belize stands out as a truly
unique island in a sea of resource consumption.
These leaders have provided and will continue to pro
vide for the world progressive environmental policy
and foresight for the future.
I was able to draw an incredible amount of educa
tional value from this short, three-month period.
This education did not just come from BASs work
ing environment or its wise leaders; I also gready ben
efited from the kaleidoscope of languages, cultures
and heritages of this small country. I will forever re
member and treasure the Belizean hospitality that 1
enjoyed.
Andrea, a spring2002graduate of the UO, majored in jour
nalism and environmental studies. She participated in an
IE3 Global Internship in winter term 2002.
Hie Many Faces of the Mexican Healthcare System
r
~3
The kids and Lucinda enjoy a back-to-school fiesta.
by Lucinda Jurden ’02
Last August I went to More
lia, Mexico, for three
months to participate in a
Global Graduates (now IE3) In
ternship. I had no idea what to
expect and was not even sure
what 1 would be doing once 1 ar
rived. Little did 1 know what an
unforgettable summer it would
turn out to be.
I began working with volunteer
1 . .
paramedics at the local Red Cross.
Speeding around Morelia via am
bulance was a great way to see the
city. We responded to calls of var
ious natures from broken bones to
serious illnesses. 1 witnessed pa
tients in very advanced stages of
cancer, those suffering from kid
ney disease in need of dialysis, and
the death of an elderly woman.
Not only did 1 see the illnesses
first-hand; I also experienced very
new surroundings healthcare sys
tems and ways of life.
Once I became more accus
tomed to my new environment, I
began volunteering at a nursing
home. Working with a doctor
and nurses, I learned how to give
injections and start an l.V I took
blood pressures daily and learned
many medications and treatments
for the elderly A great deal of responsibility was given
to me, and 1 seemed to leam something new everyday
Interacting with the patients was an amazing experi
ence and, because of them, my language skills im
proved gready, as did my knowledge of Mexican cul
ture.
I also became involved in an organization that helps
children who work on the streets of Morelia. There
are over three hundred children in the program.
Scholarships are awarded to kids, allowing them to at
tend school instead of working. The organization also
provides them with food and necessities to help sup
port their families. I traveled with social workers and
visited homes all over the city, while getting to know
the children and their families.
Aside from the invaluable experiences I had while
working, I also had a great time when I wasn’t. I got to
know the beautiful colonial city of Morelia, and trav
eled throughout Michoacan and its neighboring states,
meeting amazing people, eating delicious foods, and
making unforgettable memories.
1 am grateful for the variety of experiences I had in
Morelia because they gave me a chance to see the dif
ferent sides of a healthcare system. My eyes were
opened not only to the physical aspects of medicine,
but also to its social and cultural aspects.
Lucinda, an exercise and movement science major with a pre
med focus, participated in a healthcare internship in Mexico
in summer term 2001. She graduated in June 2002 and is
planning to attend medical school at the Universidad Autono
ma in Mexico.
vm
/nth Y iri
by William Gardner
Before leaving for Ukraine, I had chosen to
live with a local rather than in the student
dormitory, even specifically requesting an
elderly woman as landlord. 1 wanted someone
who knew no English, could spin tales about
wartime, and would have no qualms nagging
and doting as if I was her own son.
I ended up boarding in an apartment, howev
er, with an elderly man—a history professor
from the university where 1 studied in Kiev. We
shared a three-room apartment in one of Kiev's
prestigious neighborhoods, with the Ukrainian
Parliament a block away. While the dormitories
were a thirty-minute bus ride away from the
university, our apartment was ten minutes on
foot.
My seventy-eignt year-oia nost, run, spoxe
four languages—not one of them English. We
communicated in either Russian or Ukrainian,
as 1 had hoped. Yuri was also a war veteran
and certainly never let me down with a dearth
of war stories. As a historian, he also regaled
me with sermons on historical events—private
{ class lectures, if you will.
He was also skilled in the art of doting and
nagging, often simultaneously. Almost daily he
fixed enough for six to eat and, when I ate only
enough for three, he chided me for eating poor
ly
Even for one who had hoped for it, daily
admonitions about my eating habits, my tobac
; co smoking, my susceptibility to 'the grippe’
; became tedious. All the same, 1 realized his
knit-picking stemmed from concern, so 1
humored him. Besides, as Yuri said, he had
learned to nag from his wife who had, for forty
years, scolded him with affection. He had lived
: alone for four years and was pleased to 'take
care of someone again.
We got along very well. As a professor, he
had amassed a small home library that I was
welcome to use. Our exchanges were not all
nagging and nodding—we played chess,
watched poorly dubbed detective movies, and
discussed George W Bush over tea. He also
allowed me time alone in my room to study,
write or listen to the Alla Pugacheva UPs bought
at the Lvivsky flea market.
Despite not being an elderly woman, Yuri
indeed provided an ideal living situation.
Living within five minutes of central Kiev, I
improved my language skills and learned to
make cabbage rolls.
My stay in his room appeared to be good for
him as well. At 78, working seldom and having
trouble walking, Yuri often remained at home.
Whether it was a trip to the market to buy car
rots for my soup or simply remaking my bed
(“properly”), he had something to do. He
seemed to enjoy being useful again.
But, naturally, like his wife, every night he
complained about all he had to do.
William Gardner is a post-bac Russian and East
European studies major who plans to graduate with a
second bachelor's degree in 2003. William participat
ed in the American Council on International Education
(ACIE) program in Ukraine in spring semester 2002
and received an ACIE scholarship to help cover his
program costs.