First year IIC student Brittany Burton participated in the
International
Service Learning program in Nicaragua over Winter Interterm this year. The
course, which was a four-credit course registered through the Geography
department at DU, examined various international development dilemmas that have
arisen in Nicaragua through recent decades.
“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
ISL Nicaragua classmates on the ferry across Lago Nicaragua from Isla Ometepe, Nicaragua
Enjoying the sunset near Playa Colorado, Nicaragua
Walking the Amador Causeway in Panama City, Panama
Ziplining in Monteverde, Costa Rica
