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Program
Information |
What
is Project Thailand?
Project Thailand is a University of Denver
International Service Learning program combining service and
experiential learning in the extreme northwest province of
Thailand, Mae Hong Son, during the Winter Interterm. Although
the program will begin and end in the city of Chiang Mai,
students will spend the majority of their time with the Karen
people who live in various villages in Mae Hong Son province.
Students will stay in the town of Mae Hong Son before trekking
into the Karen villages of Huay Hee, Nam Hoo and Huay Koong.
Students will discover the Karen culture
first hand and develop an understanding of community-based
tourism and sustainable community development. By living,
trail building, reflecting on what they have learned, and
traveling through the forests along side the Karen, students
will learn how the Karen are impacted by and are proactively
impacting community-based tourism, what their involvement
is with sustainable community development efforts, and how
their livelihood directly relates to their forested world.
This program is run in partnership with the
International Sustainable Development Studies Institute (ISDSI).
Read the experiences of our 2007 Participants! Click here...
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What
is International Service Learning?
International service learning is:
 volunteer
service united with academic study for credit;
a
means of integrating classroom theory with active and reflective learning in the world;
a
way to focus on others' needs while immersing yourself in another culture;
an
opportunity for dual exchange of ideas with people from other countries; and
a
challenging and rewarding way to learn and gain international experience.
Put simply, it's your chance to put classroom
learning to work in the field, to get an inside glimpse of
life in another culture, and to learn from local partners as you
work with them to address community identified needs.
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Who
may apply?
Project Thailand is open to all DU undergraduate
and graduate students regardless of their prior travel, academic or work
experience. We are seeking mature and self-motivated individuals
who can demonstrate a positive attitude, initiative, flexibility
and strong interpersonal skills.
Project Thailand requires students to work
hard both mentally and physically. The course will be academically
rigorous, challenging you to grapple
with issues surrounding community based tourism, sustainable development,
and cultural anthropology. Students will also be
working hard physically as they build and repair trails, backpack
through challenging (but FUN) terrain, and live in materially
poor mountain villages.
DU students traveling to Mae Hong Son will remember
the experience and the kindness of the people forever.
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Academic
Component
Course Name: “Project Thailand:
Community Based Tourism and Sustainable Community Development” ABRD
3515, Five (5) Quarter Credits
Project Thailand: Community Based Tourism and Sustainable Community Development will be taught by an ISDSI professor in-country. Tracy Vlnicka and various DU professors will facilitate the pre-departure course.
The course will focus on (but is not limited
to) the following topics:
The unique
needs of communities following community-based tourism
principles
The current socio-political
and ecological context of tribal communities in Upland Southeast
Asia
Major issues surrounding
the broad concepts of sustainable community development
The current socio-political
and ecological context of tribal communities in Upland Southeast
Asia
Major issues surrounding
the broad concepts of sustainable community development based
on the Karen people of Mae Hong Son
Basic trail building
and community based tourism concepts
Thai government
interactions with tribal communities
History and culture
of the Karen
Individual leadership skills
Due to the various topics covered in this
course, students may have the course approved for their major
or minor. Pre-approval by your academic advisor is required. “Approval
of Study Abroad Credit” forms are available for download
or from the ISL Office and must be returned prior to departure
for Thailand.
Course
syllabus 
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Service
Component
The Karen have communicated a need to have
their deteriorating network of trails repaired and rebuilt
in order to meet internationally acceptable soft trail standards.
In order to prepare for this task, students will engage in
trail building training during fall quarter. Once in Thailand,
students will work alongside the Karen to improve the network
of trails between villages and leading to surrounding natural
sites. The trail building work will be integrated into the
course allowing students to interact directly with the Karen
and explore the needs and issues surrounding community based
tourism and community sustainable development.
In addition to the trail restoration project,
the Karen have also expressed a need for improving their
English skills. Again, prior to departure, students will
be trained in basic ESL teaching/tutoring in order to be
better prepared to build relationships and engage in meaningful
conversations with the local people from whom they will learn
more than they could have ever imagined.
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Who
to contact?
Melissa Schaap
International Service Learning Coordinator
Office of Internationalization
Phone: 1-303-871-4909 / Email: melissa.schaap@du.edu
Office is located in the International
House
Tracy Vlnicka
Project Thailand Program Coordinator
Phone: 303-871-2309/ Email: tvlnicka@du.edu
Office is located in Driscoll South, #18
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