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

VAGABOND OR SETTLED HEART?

By Jeremy Cowen (Twitter: @JeremyCowen)

(Tags: Travel blogging, traveling, vacations, tourism, staycations)

                It’s no secret I enjoy traveling: from seeing the natural wonders in various national parks to enjoying the culture in a large city such as Atlanta or Nashville, there are very few facets of traveling that don’t appeal to me.

                Except one.

                I can’t stand being away from home for long periods … and by long periods, I mean more than a week. I enjoy living in Norman (www.normanchamber.com) and being near my friends and family and familiar locales. (https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/06/11/why-long-weekends-are-better-than-long-vacations/e3i2VrTkfDUfQfjMP0bTZK/story.html).

                Therefore, within myself inhabits the dichotomy of enjoying to travel … but not for too long! Understanding more about the theories and ideas behind tourism and travel thanks to this class only makes me want to set out on the road again to experience another trip (I’m planning a family vacation to Puerto Rico this summer, in fact), but I have to make sure we’re back on home soil within a week!

                It’s a give-and-take process with me on my travels, as one can see. In the future, I can’t see changing much. Being much older than the rest of the students in the class, I’m already contemplating retirement years (I know, I know, it’s still 20 years away, but I’m still contemplating it!). I think about the recently-retired couple we bought our house from last fall: They were selling the house and much of their belongings, buying a giant RV and heading out on the road … PERMANENTLY. (http://bottomlineinc.com/life/travel/retire-on-the-road-pros-and-cons-of-traveling-the-country-in-a-deluxe-rv)

                Many of my friends envied them. I didn’t. What’s the use in traveling and experiencing different, cultures, locales, people and environment if one can’t put them in context.

HOME provides me that context.

 

TOURIST ENTRAPPINGS — Jeremy Cowen poses with a stuffed prairie dog at a restaurant in the Oklahoma Panhandle giving onlookers a rude gesture. Seeing the strange and offbeat offerings during traveling is one of Cowen’s favorite things to experience. Photo by Jeremy Cowen.

 

GERONIMO! — Jeremy Cowen swings on a vine before splashing into a river in the El Yunque rain forest in Puerto Rico while his classmates watch. Ecotourism is one of Cowen’s favorite types of tourism as the 42-year old regularly takes trips hiking. Photo by Jeremy Cowen

 

HOME SWEET HOME — Jeremy Cowen snuggles with one of his cats, Fraser, late at night in his bed in Norman. While Cowen enjoys his travels, he enjoys his home nearly as much and, as such, it forces him to keep his travels relatively short so he can get back to his beloved Norman, his family and, yes, his cats. Photo by Jeremy Cowen