Penn Abroad Ambassador Elayna Rinker

Program:

• PGS: Tourism, Sustainability and Local Impact in Indonesia

Ask me about...

This global writing seminar was my first time traveling out of the country, and it helped me prepare for future travels. I learned the process of getting my passport, e-visa, and needed vaccines in order to travel safely into our designated country. I would look forward to answering questions for first-time international travelers so that they feel just as comforted as I did during their journey of getting prepared for their travel adventures.

My Experience Abroad:

The class that I participated in was related to tourism and sustainability in Bali, Indonesia. Due to this class being a writing seminar, I was able to research topics that pertained to nursing in Indonesia that I might have not otherwise explored. It also sparked questions with how increased tourism to Bali, Indonesia has impacted Indonesian hospitals and the amount of waste produced in their region. It was interesting to pass by the Indonesian hospitals while I was in Bali because I was able to see the visual differences of United States hospitals and Indonesian hospitals.
 

Other Highlights:

One highlight from my experience in Bali, Indonesia was trekking through the rice fields, it was a beautiful sight but also very educational to see how normal food practices have turned into popular tourist destinations. Another highlight I experienced was talking with some students from the Indonesian university that we visited while staying in Bali, we got to ask their opinions about how they think tourism has impacted their home which gave us a unique perspective on the topic. The next highlight that I enjoyed was trying all of the traditional Balinese cuisine that was at all of the restaurants, the flavors were really unique from what I was used to eating so I really enjoyed trying the new delicious foods.