Planning the course

I'm not sure who is going to read this, but I'm guessing that's the nature of blogging, huh? As is often the case, I found myself inspired by the great work of my students...this time, to write a blog for our first interterm course through the Pioneer Leadership Program to Belize. A number of our students write blogs while studying abroad, and the students taking this course will have to write reflection journals (not quite a blog, but along the same lines). So, with their efforts as inspiration I have embarked on my own blog. My hope is to write at least once a day while in Belize. At some point, I should probably mention that the views contained herein are solely mine and do not reflect the opinions of the University of Denver. We're always good about making sure our risk is managed.

Right now, it is the middle of November and we leave for Belize in just under two weeks and the class will be 10 nights/11 days. I am in the throes of planning the final details for the course, and it is quite an ordeal. A few highlights: figuring out lodging for 15 students and 3 faculty/staff in the rainforest, on an island, and in a city that doesn't have a lot of hotels; finalizing time, place, topic for 8 speakers; coordinating trips to two museums, a zoo, Mayan ruins, and an oil company; and various other details like coordinating planes, boats and automobiles.

I keep telling myself that once I get 98% of the details finalized, I'll actually be able to relax and then be ready to enjoy the trip. I know, I know...I hear the sound of the world's smallest violin playing for me. After I get everything planned, I get to go to Belize. Not only do I get to learn from a number of experts and leaders about issues of environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability, but I also will be sleeping in the rainforest, tubing through caves, hiking and exploring the Mayan city of Caracol, and snorkeling the second largest Barrier Reef in the world.

It should be a fantastic trip and I look forward to telling you all about it. For now, I am looking outside at the snow still on the ground in Denver, getting ready for Thanksgiving, and then on to Belize.