Goals Goals & More Goals

As I head off to spend 1/3 of my summer in Bucerias, Mexico, I come to realize that 4 weeks really is not as long as I had initially thought.. That being said, I quickly narrowed down my goals and attempted to be as realistic as possible!

For a personal goal this summer, I would like to learn how to recognize the strengths of my team members by the end of the internship. Teamwork is essential for our project and our collaboration will become much easier if we are aware of each member’s strengths and weaknesses. The quicker we can understand what each member has to offer, the more effective and efficiently we can work as a team. I plan on accomplishing this goal by using self reflection and making sure I am learning from each member on my team. During the internship I will be able to measure the progress I have made when it comes time to delegate roles for the project. My goal is realistic because I will be spending every day with my team members so it would be impossible to not learn more about them! None of us have been close prior to this trip (besides Kyle and Alex obviously <3) and our main interactions have only taken place during class so there is plenty for me to learn!

From an educational standpoint, I am eager to pick up on the language and learn how to effectively communicate in an appropriate manner at a basic level. Although I am Mexican myself, I really do not know what to expect! Overcoming the language barrier will not only be useful for the time I spend here, but it will also allow me to communicate with my family that is from Mexico which would improve our overall relationship. On top of that, I want to become more informed about responsible tourism considering that is our topic of interest. The more credible I can become through the research I do, the better! This will allow me to be able to strategically help local businesses thrive and limit the negative effects that tourism may have on them. Responsible tourism is certainly not a topic many people consider so it is important to educate ourselves with the intention of educating others on how to be responsible tourists. I might even be able to convince my dad to vacation down here some day... responsibly, of course. Regardless, I am eager to be out of my comfort zone and see what I can learn!