The International Ecotourism Society Searching for Intern

by Adrienne Wilson on

This could be cool — very cool if you’re on the hunt for unique job experiences, but you’ll need to move quickly and act fast! The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is seeking an Intern to work in their Washington DC office to help organize the 2007 Global Ecotourism Conference, which will be held in Oslo, Norway, from May 14-16, 2007. It mentions nothing as to whether the position is a paid gig or unpaid internship, but it seems worth shooting for. Me, being the dreamer that I am, would imagine being handsomely rewarded with a ticket to the conference in Norway as a token of all my paid or unpaid hard work, but again you’ll have to further inquire to see what’s at the end of the job tunnel.

Some of the duties to be performed include: researching and compiling lists of potential speakers, guests, and partners – preparing invitations – solidify partnerships with other NGO’s. Oh, but there’s more, you’ll just have to go see for yourself. The deadline for application is September 1, 2006

No Such Thing As Eco-Tourism?

by Adrienne Wilson on

Anneli Rufus may have gained a couple followers tagging along and hi-fiving her long-winded rant which compares colonialism to eco-tourism, but she sure ruffled more than a few feathers. While I don’t necessarily agree with all her commentary myself, the writing is biting, cut-throat, makes you think and has generated what actually looks like 109 well-thought out responses. (Mind-blowing, but not surprising.) Anneli who claims to have been a adventurer in the past, writer of travel books (and actually was) and so-on, no longer wanders into Third World territories, but now deeply contemplates whether First World travelers are doing nothing more than boasting, bragging and dismantling the landscape in their gnarly little eco-tourist excursions. What do you say?

If you’ve got some free time (and I do mean free time) then swing over to AlterNet for a read. Actually, even if you’re very busy at work trying to get through the middle of the work week I suggest you go over and see what side of the picket-white fence you’re on. Are you a status conscious colonialist using eco-tourism for a mask while trampling, intruding and wrecking foreign locales in the name of a snapshot or do you believe differently? Is Anneli totally off the mark?

What does eco-tourism mean to you? How do you define adventure travel

Almost Time for the Nesting of the Giant Leatherback Turtle

by Karen Walrond on

Last
year, one of the first things our family did after moving to Trinidad, was visit the northernmost coast of the island,
in the village of Grand Riviere, to witness the nesting of the Giant Leatherback Turtles.  The experience was
amazing:  these 700-1200 pound creatures lumbering out of the sea, entering into a trance to lay up to 200 eggs,
before returning back to the deep.  The turtles — sometimes up to 200 per night —  tended to wait offshore
until nightfall to come on land and lay their eggs; however, they were often not finished with their task by daybreak,
so we woke up at dawn to see them in the light.

The experience was so wonderful, we made the cumbersome trek
to Grand Riviere twice last year — and we’re quivering with anticipation about doing it again this year.  Since my
daughter Alex will be two, and therefore a  bit more aware of what’s happening, we’re especially excited.

Nesting season begins in May and continues through August.  We’ll definitely be there next month.  Perhaps
we’ll see you there.