The Green Leaf Diaries

I know I haven't been too good about posting just yet, but honestly not much is happening... This semester was my first in the MIST program. So we are just barely dipping our toes into the issue of Sustainable Tourism. I do have to say, though, that with every passing class I am getting more and more excited for the future and all the possibilities we have. To give you a brief synopsis of our focus, we are studying a sort of tourism paradox, if you will. Tourism is something that is growing immensely with every generation becoming more and more fascinated with seeing the world. But what many fail to recognize is that tourism can be destructive... Think about the environment, the animals, plants, and people living in the communities that you are visiting. How do you think they feel about foreigners coming to the place they call home? Aren't you even at least a little guilty "looking down" on tourists? Think about that a bit... There are different species that ar

As a brand new blogger, I took quite a bit of time in deciding on a name for this blog. I didn't want it to be insignificant, but meaningful and well thought-out. So here's the breakdown... Why Green? The color green is said to be soothing and calming to the eye. It is often used in decoration of hospitals and classrooms simply because of its relaxing qualities. For my purposes, it represents the calmness and sacredness of nature and sustainability. It is often used as THE color for eco-efforts and environmentally friendly projects. Costa Rica is a very 'green' community. Their sustainable efforts are recognized worldwide and set standards for many other nations. So naturally, this was a good choice for me. Green also just happens to be the color of my beloved alma mater, the  University of North Texas ! GO MEAN GREEN!!! As for the leaf... I chose the leaf for a few reasons, the first being that a single leaf is said to be the symbol of happiness and bliss

So I guess you're wondering what all this is about... I mean, that tends to be the initial question when reading a blog, right? Well, I am a Grad Student at the University of North Texas , getting my Masters in International Sustainable Tourism (aka MIST) and will be traveling to Turrialba, Costa Rica this coming June. This blog will be a sort of travelers diary (at least that's the plan for now). I am new to the blog-o-sphere, but I am excited to share all of my experiences. To give you some background on myself, I have always had a certain passion for culture and travelling. Though I may not have traveled as much as I would like just yet, I have plenty of time to get there. This graduate program was absolutely perfect for me. Through research we are learning how to better promote tourism and allow it to occur in a sustainable way. So anyway, if I ramble on about tourism and my studies and begin to bore you, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Hopefully you will find thi