“I’m interested in sustainable tourism development, and have a particular interest in Latin America, so this was really a perfect opportunity for me to explore my interests and the region,” Brittany said.
Students were able to observe the inner workings of various organizations on the southwest Nicaraguan coast, including a privately funded charity foundation, a luxury tourism resort, a vacation home community, and a local educational nonprofit.
“The number of foreigners developing infrastructure on previously undeveloped landscapes in Nicaragua is growing at a really fast rate, so it was really interesting to study the dynamics between the outside developers and the affects of these developments on the local people,” she said.
The course also had a service component. Some students spent time volunteering for a US-based nonprofit doing ecological conservation and construction projects, while others taught English at a local school.
Brittany spent nearly two weeks with her DU classmates as a part of the course, but she also backpacked independently through northwest Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama for a few weeks after the course. There she was able to do some adventure travel activities, spend some time on the beach, and practice her Spanish skills. Here are a few photos from her trip!
Students painting and cleaning a local school bus in Playa Gigante, Nicaragua
Enjoying the sunset near Playa Colorado, Nicaragua
Walking the Amador Causeway in Panama City, Panama
Ziplining in Monteverde, Costa Rica
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