Is there a doctor on the island?

Every year, millions of people escape the cold and snow of winter. Into their rolling suitcases, they pack tooth brushes, bikinis or Speedos (hopefully not the latter), and a few changes of clothing, then head for a tropical island . . . be it in the Caribbean, south Atlantic, south Pacific, or elsewhere. Too soon, […]

What the heck is pica pica?

Pica pica is scrub growth, characteristic of a number of tropical islands in the Caribbean. One can drive past it, day after day, without paying it any mind. However, the locals are concerned, lest a California chaparral-like situation develop. All of us  non-Californians have sympathized with home owners’ annual summer fears, as mountainsides burst into flame, […]

Combating writer’s block

Have you ever sat down with the intention of writing that tome, be it a book, chapter, manuscript, or term paper–only to stare blankly, unproductively, at your computer screen? People ask me all the time what I do about this. In truth I’m one of those few who rarely experiences such torture. Unfortunately, this is […]

Misinterpreting cultural clues

Many of us suffer from a tendency to prejudge other peoples’ behavior, using our own cultural lens to deduce their meaning. This past term, one of my Intro to Travel and Tourism students reported on Puerto Rico’s potential as a tourism destination. After viewing a scene similar to the one appearing to the right, she […]

Local Culture

One of the things we appreciate most about living for three months in Puerto Rico is the opportunity to immerse ourselves in local culture. Friends who have visited Jamaica and the Dominican Republic report the wonderful food and services provided behind the fences of their all-inclusives. Guests at these resorts are discouraged from mixing with […]

Writing 101

People tell me all the time that there is no way they could ever write a book. If you had asked me twenty-five years ago, I would have said the same thing.  The turning point for me came in the form of a problem to be solved. I was teaching my Tourism Planning course, which […]

An Earth Shaking Experience

For my first blog, I feel it’s best to do something earth shattering, or, in this case, earthshaking. Last night, at a bit past midnight, our condo building began to shake violently. Shelf units rocked, pictures threatened to fall, glasses clinked, and I nearly stained my new boxer-briefs. The best thing about a coastal zone […]