Paper #1.Educating Americans to Embrace and Promote Global Sustainability - Vannetta R. Perry

This paper presents a paradigm of an international educational program for United States K-12 teachers that is based on and models experiential learning as the educational approach to teaching sustainability in developing countries.

The focus of the model outlined in this paper is to undertake an environmental research project within the intercultural and social context of a developing country, then transfer acquired knowledge to the US classroom. The issues of natural resources and natural resources management and socio-economic aspects related to these issues provide a captivating connection between our teachers and the host country and offer an inimitable educational forum for learning in the intercultural setting.

Paper #2. Towards Creating a Culturally Sensitive Tourist - Dr Susan Tingey

While much is said regarding tourism and the need to be eco-sensitive, the reverse is true, in that the tourist should also be prepared to behave in an eco-sensitive manner, not only towards the environment of the host country, but also towards the people who are the inhabitants. This paper examines how tourists in general, but particularly how Americans behave in intercultural encounter, and provides some guidelines for the socially and culturally appropriate behavior. I conclude with suggestions for how a tourist may become a more sensitive and caring traveller, one who is able to visit and enjoy the adventure without becoming yet another ugly American.

Paper #3. "The Value-Sensitive Classroom" - Joleen Welborn

This paper focuses on value-sensitive tourism for teachers as a means to promote a sense of global responsibility in the classroom. While tourism is traditionally a resource extraction by its very nature, the problems associated with it can be avoided. An ethical sense of responsibility can be instilled at a young age by a teacher who has travelled on a value-sensitive tour. In a value-sensitive classroom, the students can become aware of their environment, their role in global scheme, and the reality of their participation. They can understand their own human nature and be able to critically analyze their own duties in the world. A pedagogical approach to teaching in a value-sensitive classroom will be explored.

Paper #4. Sustainable Tourism from the Brasilian Mamori Perspective - Max Maia

This paper describes culturally sensitive tours that open the world of the Brasilian Amazonas to foreign travellers. As a naturalist and indigenous Brasilian Mamori, I teach travellers about tribal life, the natural world of the Amazon, the life of the Caboclas, and most importantly, sustainable life on the river. In this paper, I describe the culturally-sensitive approach to tourism while enhancing village economics in an environmentally friendly manner. It is my position to share the power of the Rio Solimoes and Rio Negro with my foreign friends within an authentic journey of exploration and adventure.

Paper #5. Breaking Boundaries, Building Bridges: K-5 Curriculum in the Implementation of Cultural, Economic, Social, and Environmental Modules - Rebecca Maese

This presentation takes you on a journey through Brasil. As a participant in the 2004 Brasilian Area Studies of the Pantanal Wilderness Area, I gained insight into the intercultural perspective of the complex interaction between culture, socio-economics, and ecology. You will be provided with a curriculum overview and first-hand experience of research and lessons developed by teachers and integrated into the classroom. There will be an emphasis of invaluable facets of other cultures, history, and environmental issues. This exposure assists in bringing the world alive in US classrooms.

Dr Vannetta Perry is an educational consultant from the State of New Mexico, USA. Since 1999, she has directed international research projects for educators in developing countries and has initiated numerous collaborations between US and host country universities. These projects have grown to involve the development of commercial tourism projects that Dr Perry terms "value-sensitive educational tourism" with the organization, Global EduTrek. As project director of Global EduTrek, Dr Vannetta Perry is responsible for all aspects of international educational project planning, development, implementation, and evaluation. The international projects Dr Perry develops focus on studying the socio-economic and cultural aspects of a community within a developing country and their complex relationship with the environmental quality of that community, providing a fascinating setting for in-depth research and experiential learning.

Joleen Welborn was born and raised in New Mexico. She earned a degree in Biology from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in 1999. She now teaches 7th grade math at Sarracino Middle School in Socorro, New Mexico. Joleen's first international experience was with a grant by the U.S. Dept. of Education Fulbright-Hayes Group Projects Abroad program. With project coordinator, Dr Vannetta Perry, she spent a month in China studying the educational system as well as issues with environmental water chemistry and water law. Since then, she has returned to Asia to teach English in China and visit Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea. She has also travelled again with Dr Vannetta Perry to Ghana, West Africa with another grant from the U.S. Dept. of Education Fulbright-Hayes Group Projects Abroad, where she spent a month studying the sociology of a small village called Wusuta. Joleen has a vision to inspire global awareness in her classroom through classroom projects, and credits her ability to do so through her international travels.

An Amazon specialist, I am of the Mamori Tribe of Autazes country, state of Amazonas, Brasil. The Mamori. I share days in this place with my foreign friends who go as renewed one, abundance and tranquillity gives to the Amazon native and visitor alike a sense of spirit, happy and hospitable. I expert in swimming, driving a boat and knowing forest mysteries and secrets. I teach my visitors of medicinal plants, their harvesting and use; and sustainable living in the forest. Fluent in Tupi Indian language, French, Spanish, Portuguese, English, I am self taught in History, Geography, Biology, Ecology, Botany, Entomology and Zoology of the Amazon Rain Forest, in a very different perspective of universities. My perspective is from the point of view of preservation, the non-predatory view, and this led me to love my land — the Amazon and my new friends — the tourists.

I was born and raised in the Hispanic culture in the Mesilla Valley of New Mexico. I am the daughter of Valentin and Josefina Maese, who were happily married for 48 years, until my father passed away in 1995. I am one of their fourteen children who range in age from 54 to 34. My father was a physical scientists and a farmer. My mother is a homemaker. My parents are excellent role models. They are both very deserving of admiration. I attended Western New Mexico University in Silver City, New Mexico and received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education as well as a Bilingual Endorsement from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I was recently selected to participate in a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program to Brasil. What an unforgettable learning experience! This experience offered me the opportunity to broaden my horizons professionally. I have been a bilingual educator for 13 years and was a bilingual lead teacher fro 5 years. As a bilingual lead teacher, I was responsible for guiding other bilingual teachers, attending district meetings, and holding meetings for our bilingual teachers. I have taught first through third and fifth grades. Currently I am teaching third grade at Desert Hills Elementary. Teaching and learning are a passion of mine. I have a great love of languages and culture. I savor the opportunity to experience diverse cultures. I am always in search of new perspectives and of the opportunity or the professional and personal growth. I lead a culturally diverse life. I have a great appreciation of culture, a strong foundation in family and absolutely love educating children.