An Unknown Experience

By: Heather Ricchi

My freshman year I went to a presentation about studying abroad in college. After sitting through the presentation I decided that I wanted to study abroad at some point in my college career, but I wasn't exactly sure when I was going to be able to fit that into my busy and rigorous schedule. I was told about an opportunity to study abroad over Christmas break and as soon as the last sentence left Professor Pederson’s lips I was hooked. I had never been to Puerto Rico before so I was very intrigued to visit and study the culture of this island. I have traveled my whole life but this trip was the first time that I would be traveling for the purpose of learning and studying a different culture.

A couple weeks before we left for Puerto Rico I got to meet the group of students that I would be taking on this cultural inversion experience with. We all met up in Fort Worth and on a extremely smaller scale got dip our feet into studying tourism like we would be doing in Puerto Rico. In Fort Worth my classmates and I clicked automatically as if we had all been friends our entire lives. Together we got to visit the Fort Worth Stockyards, study the transportation, accommodations, attractions and the food that travelers from all over the world visit Fort Worth for. This experience allowed me to no longer hesitate or be nervous about the study abroad trip that I was about to embark on. I was now excited to be able to study and learn about tourism and travel writing in Puerto Rico with these intelligent and kind individuals.

   I got to spend quality time with my new classmates while enjoying Tex-Mex cuisine in Fort Worth.

                                               The cattle run at the Fort Worth Stockyards.

              Saying Boomer Sooner all the way from Texas while studying tourism in Fort Worth. 

Links: 

http://www.fortworthstockyards.org/

http://www.ou.edu/cis/education_abroad.html

https://www.fortworth.com/the-herd/

Contact Information: 

Email: Heather.a.ricchi10@ou.edu

Phone: 214-551-2715

Twitter: @heatherricchi4
Facebook: @heatherricchi
Instagram: @heatherricchi

Traveling Differently

By: Heather Ricchi

I am thankful for the opportunity that the University of Oklahoma provided to me to be able to study abroad in Puerto Rico. Getting to learn about tourism and travel writing while experiencing it first hand extended my understanding of these two subjects. From laughing on the bus rides to different destinations to getting to try the authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, I made memories on this trip that I will never forget. This experience allowed me to learn about a culture that at first I had no prior knowledge about.  Over the 10 days that I spent in Puerto Rico I learned so much about this beautiful lush island that I wouldn’t have learned from just reading a book. Along with learning about the culture and tourism in Puerto Rico, I also got to improve my writing skills. Being a business student I don’t spend much time writing so over the course of my study abroad experience my writing has improved tremendously with the help of my encouraging professors.

From getting to visit El Yunque National Forest to going to Caguas and seeing a cigar being made right before our eyes, our days were filled from start to finish with amazing educational activities.

Traveling is something that I do very often. From now on I am going to challenge myself when I go to different destinations to not only spend my time at the beach, but to go out and learn about the culture. I am going to use what I learned in Puerto Rico and apply it to studying tourism offered by other travel destinations around the world.

         A beautiful sunset surrounds the beach in Puerto Rico on our last night. 

                                        The small and quaint town of Caguas, Puerto Rico.

                                               A rushing waterfall in El Yungue National Forest.
Links:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g147319-Activities-Puerto_Rico.html
https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=museums&find_loc=Caguas%2C+Puerto+Rico
https://www.fs.usda.gov/elyunque

Contact Information:
Email: Heather.a.ricchi10@ou.edu
Phone: 214-551-2715
Twitter: @heatherricchi4
Facebook: @heatherricchi
Instagram: @heatherricchi

See the World

By: Andee Gentry

By studying abroad in Puerto Rico, I was able to grasped a whole new outlook and appreciation for the Puerto Rican culture. By taking a chance or opportunity to embark on a journey like this is one I highly suggest. This was my second time to do a study abroad program and I can’t wait to continue to do more. 

While traveling in college, I have gained a better understanding of culture appreciation and an outlook on life. By examining and living in another culture, I was able to appreciate the beauty our world offers and has inspired me to continue traveling. After visiting Puerto Rico and traveling within a group, I decided to sign up for another traveling trip in order to explore a new environment. Traveling while your young is very important to me because it opens your eyes to new experiences and adventures that help guide your life. 

After seeing so many landmarks, museums, and important architecture in different cities, it makes me want to continue exploring the world. After seeing Samuel Lind’s paintings who is a local Puerto Rican artist to the views from the El Yunque Rainforest and The Forts, I want to travel and see more wonders of the world.

 The more you travel, the more you are going to gain knowledge and experience to help later in life. I have traveled to many different places and I think it has made me more independent and aware of our world. I can't wait to explore many more places and continue to see the beautiful creations our world has to offer.

Samuel Lind the artist 

One of Samuel Lind's paintings

View from El Yunque Rainforest

Check out:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide

http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/best-places-to-travel-in-2017

http://www.travelchannel.com

Contact Information:

Email: Andee.W.Gentry-1@ou.edu

Twitter: AndeeWGentry 

Facebook: Andee Gentry 

Instagram: andeegentry 

A New Adventure

By: Andee Gentry

Puerto Rico was not a place I had visited or knew much about until this program. I studied abroad in Arezzo, Italy last summer and loved it so I knew this would be a great opportunity to see, experience, and understand a new culture. 

Before arriving to Puerto Rico, I knew I would be in a new place with different beliefs, lifestyles, and language. Study abroad gives students the opportunity to create new friendships and explore the world with people of the same age and a passion for traveling. Although I had only known two people going into this trip, I came out of the program with new friends and memories. 

Before we left for Puerto Rico, the class took a trip to Fort Worth, Texas in order to explore a different culture and area apart from Norman, Oklahoma. In Fort Worth, I was able to observe Texas history and a town that revolves around a western lifestyle. With horses and cattle all around us, we were able to see how a town operates differently from the one we live in. By being exposed to a different culture before Puerto Rico, it gave me a greater understanding of a lifestyle and an environment different from what I was used too. 

After asking people I had not known about directions or even interviewing them, I began to gain confidence in myself. The more I talked to tourists and workers in the Stockyards, the more familiar and comfortable I was with the area and people. 

By talking to these people, I was confident that I could use what I learned in Fort Worth while in Puerto Rico.  I was ready to step into the Puerto Rican culture with open arms and an open mind. 

The daily Fort Worth cattle drive

Students in the Fort Worth Stockyards

A member of the Fort Worth Herd

Check out:

http://www.fortworthstockyards.org

http://college.usatoday.com/2015/04/15/studying-abroad-here-are-the-top-tips-from-student-travelers/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brenda-mejia/puerto-rico-6-things-you-_b_9646680.html

Contact Information:

Email: Andee.W.Gentry-1@ou.edu

Twitter: AndeeWGentry 

Facebook: Andee Gentry 

Instagram: andeegentry