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 

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