Beyond

Beyond

By Taylor Porchey 

I have gained some of my most important life lessons from traveling and I would never trade those experiences for anything in the world. One, I have learned that it is important to know what you need in life and to shed the things that weigh you down. I used to over pack. It was a dreadful problem. I can now say that I have overcome it proudly and only pack what I need, though I have come to find that I still need a lot of things. I tend to be the person that always has Motrin or band-aids or a spare (blank) when someone needs it and I like being that person so I plan on it. Which leads to the second thing I have learned from traveling, is that it is important to know yourself. Just like I know that I like to be the person that people fall back to when they need help, I also know that I get “hangry” and that I need to eat either continual small snacks throughout the day to keep my blood sugar consistent or know when I will be eating next.

I adore travel. Almost everything about traveling and tourism is intriguing or exciting to me in some capacity and I hope to do more of it in the future on a personal and maybe even professional level.  Yes, I did say both. I recognize the distinction between the two even more clearly after this class and know that I enjoy both. I love relaxing on beautiful beaches and hiking up mountains and going to museums. I see all of the above in my future if pay checks and time off allow for it.

The role of media in tourism has been interesting to look at through the lens of this class. Advertisements and communication to potential and past customers is, in my opinion, the most important media in terms of tourism. Without that draw, that communication of why people should not only come to your specific location but visit your specific zip line company, for instance, is essential. This need will mean that there will always be jobs in the content creation field in the tourism industry and the competitiveness of it, I am positive, will only increase.

Yay for travel!

Check Out: 

http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Most_Relaxing_Beaches/

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/

http://www.newzealand.com/us/

http://www.visitlondon.com

https://www.travelalaska.com

Traveling V.S Tourism

4273

 Meta Carstarphen

1/25/15

By: Regennia Johnson

I want traveling to be a substantial part of my life. This experience really allowed me to gain further knowledge of the difference between being a tourist and a traveler and that has allowed me to gage what the tourism experience means to me. I think a true tourism experience goes beyond the common attractions that are often posted on brochures and magazines. To really engage in the culture and absorb the place that one is traveling to, it must be understood that those attractions are just that…attractions. They are put in place to attract people to come in, spend their money and make people feel like they expanded their horizon by engaging in the most superficial cultural thing that the town has to offer. The tourism experience means speaking to people from the community and learning about what is important to them… what things they value in their culture. I also believe that the tourism experience is about allowing yourself to be open minded enough to go beyond what you initially thought about a place and learn for yourself and from the residents what it is really about. This means stepping outside of what media feeds people about certain locations and cultures.

1.     http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adventure-collection/traveler-or-a-tourist_b_3568344.html

2.     http://traveltips.usatoday.com/differences-between-tourist-traveller-103756.html

3.     http://www.racismnoway.com.au/about-racism/understanding/culture-language-identity.html

4.     http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/social-media-travel-hospitality/466163

5.     http://www.tourismandmore.com/tidbits/using-the-social-media-for-tourism/

Embracing Cultures

By: Juliana Gutierrez

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”

- Saint Augustine

     Certainly, St. Augustine could not have said it better. Viewing stunning sights, savoring unexpected new flavors, filling your lungs with a deep inhale of air, and experiencing all that a place has to offer are only a few of the reasons why I think that traveling is a way to revival the soul and embrace the fascinating and multicultural world we live in. Traveling is not just about getting to a destination. It is about the experiences one encounters and the people that take part in the journey what make each trip an irreplaceable one.

     Throughout my 23 years of age, I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to over 15 different countries in three continents. It was my father who taught me the value of traveling, not just stopping by in a city for a daytrip, but to come in contact with its people, understand their culture, appreciate their traditions and respect them for their beliefs.

With this realization in mind and my background as a journalist, I believe that the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico and to be in direct contact with Boricuas, will allow me to enhance my knowledge of how the media can change from one country to another and how it can influence society depending on its customs.

     Lastly, the experience on the island combined with the academic 
lessons will set the ideal tools to learn how to use mass media and journalistic techniques in order to portray the uniqueness of a nation with a trustworthy and authentic sense to a faraway audience, making them feel as if they were there, walking around old San Juan or contemplating the turquoise waters of the Caribbean while dipping their toes in Puerto Rico’s golden sand.

Photo by: Juliana Gutierrez

Photo by: Juliana Gutierrez

For more information about Puerto Rico, visit: http://www.seepuertorico.com

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/puerto-rico

Why I want to study in Puerto Rico...

4273 Meta Carstarphen

Why I want to study in Puerto Rico

12/1/15

By: Regennia D. Johnson

I believe that we as students should take advantage of all the opportunities and resources that are offered to us, and studying abroad is definitely an opportunity that I cannot let pass me by during my time here at the University of Oklahoma. It has always been very important to me that I study abroad as an undergraduate student, because I have seen and heard from past participants the great enrichment it provides to students lives personally and educationally.  I have always had an interest in tourism. I love to travel and I enjoy learning about different cultures. With my major being broadcast journalism and my minor in Spanish and African American Studies it is clear that I enjoy both media and culture. This program specifically peaked my interest, because Puerto Rico is a Spanish speaking country and I would like to immerse myself in Spanish speaking country, if only for a week.  I think this program will help me with my writing skills, and allow me to engage in social media from a journalistic perspective. Beyond my personal fascination with studying abroad and Puerto Rico, this program actually falls into my schedule quite nicely. I am a student in Gaylord and this program will cover my two upper-division electives, which I need in order to graduate.  Upon graduating I have considered conducting research or teaching in a foreign country, so I would like to have an experience out of the country prior to that. I think my time in Puerto Rico will help with my future plans and allow me to gain valuable knowledge on the basics of tourism, media, and travel writing and how they all essentially flow together. (http://www.gstcouncil.org/blog/537/tourism-and-the-media-practical-takeaways-from-the-unwto-conference-in-egypt/)