PREPARATION
Many travelers seek educated quests that animate intellectual
curiosity and engage interaction with communities.
Preparation
is a critical step. Learn about where you're going before you
arrive. One bit of advice -- learning is an act of defiance,
specifically the transformation from ignorance to knowledge
via experience. Prepare yourself to be surprised.
In the book Trouble
in Paradise: Globalization and Environmental Crises in Latin
America (Routledge, 2003) J. Timmons Roberts and Nikki Demetria
Thanos make the case that contact can change the North-South
divide. "Lives can be changed," they write. "Rather
than merely observing these issues from afar and wringing our
hands, we need to be engaged. Institutions can be changed."
ON THE WEB
University students and professors conducting research abroad
can lead by example.
This means establishing collaborative relationships with locals. Announce your
work beforehand in relevant online forums and afterward, share
your findings.
If you are working on environmental or cultural research, ask if you can use
our forum.
OFFLINE
At your school, conduct roundtable discussions, slide shows,
talks. Find the local connections in the natural world.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Travelers seeking a responsible educational trip need to ask
the organizers how the trip benefits the visited communities:
Are locals involved in the trip creation? How does the organization
follow-up with local contacts? Does the operator demand exclusivity,
and if so, why?
Travelers embarking on an educational quest need to be proactive.
Many organizers are swamped with logistics. If you are a member
of an alumni association, offer assistance.
Not recognizing the value of communities in a collaborative
effort is far too common. Many tours are arranged (and sold)
for the comfort levels of the uneducated traveler.
Isn't it time for something different? |
