ClubMed 101 – A Case study in Turks & Caicos culture, environment, and business trends
Laura Cooley `02
Issue date: 4/27/01 Section: Humor
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Thirteen members of the Johnson School tropics research team headed to the Turks & Caicos Islands to spend spring break studying the local business and customs at ClubMed. The trip was an educational one, with an emphasis on learning. In fact, we all learned so much on our “educational” trip that we have decided to petition for academic credit for study abroad. Here are the highlights of our petition to the registrar:
Geography: We now know where the heck Turks & Caicos is. We think that puts us in the top 10% of the school for geography knowledge. (Be honest, could YOU pick it out on a map right now, no cheating?)
Culture: The Cornell research team performed a dramatic presentation on stage for a live audience. The performance was a comedy and featured beautiful music and a witty plot. Among the highlights of the performance was Rob Chesley modeling a new line of swimwear from the famous Cobobbaley fashion designer. The research team also eagerly participated in the nightly custom of synchronized dancing led by our village tribal chiefs.
Anthropological Studies: Mingling with the natives was a favorite pastime of a few of the members of our research team. They acquired first-hand knowledge on local courting and mating rituals, dining customs, and drinking games. We saw very little of those team members, as they chose to “go native” and blend in so that the research might be pure.
Foreign Currency: The islanders bought and sold beverages with these things called “ClubMed drink tickets.” They were colorful with palm trees on them but had no numbers or representation of their value. We are still trying to understand how many it took to get a Pina Colada, as the conversion was very complicated and it’s easy to lose track of the value after several drinks.
Flora and Fauna: Our research team took time to observe the ecology of the area, and learned much about the tropical island. For example, over 50,000 endangered iguana find their home on the island. We also viewed the world’s only conch farm, which are a major ingredient in the local diet. (And you thought they were simply pretty shells!) And there were lots of pretty fish out on the coral reef. We can’t name them, but they sure had nice colors.
Physical Fitness: The Turks & Caicos mentality is one of healing. They know that to heal the mind and soul, one must also work on the body. Our research team participated in many activities, ranging from basketball and street hockey to SCUBA, snorkeling, sailing and trapeze swinging. The resulting bodies were put on display on the beach under a think coat of SPF30. We think they are fine research specimens.
We will let you know if we receive credit for our study abroad. We encourage others to take this interesting course. Look for it next spring in under ClubMed101 – A study in Turks & Caicos culture, environment, and business trends.
Geography: We now know where the heck Turks & Caicos is. We think that puts us in the top 10% of the school for geography knowledge. (Be honest, could YOU pick it out on a map right now, no cheating?)
Culture: The Cornell research team performed a dramatic presentation on stage for a live audience. The performance was a comedy and featured beautiful music and a witty plot. Among the highlights of the performance was Rob Chesley modeling a new line of swimwear from the famous Cobobbaley fashion designer. The research team also eagerly participated in the nightly custom of synchronized dancing led by our village tribal chiefs.
Anthropological Studies: Mingling with the natives was a favorite pastime of a few of the members of our research team. They acquired first-hand knowledge on local courting and mating rituals, dining customs, and drinking games. We saw very little of those team members, as they chose to “go native” and blend in so that the research might be pure.
Foreign Currency: The islanders bought and sold beverages with these things called “ClubMed drink tickets.” They were colorful with palm trees on them but had no numbers or representation of their value. We are still trying to understand how many it took to get a Pina Colada, as the conversion was very complicated and it’s easy to lose track of the value after several drinks.
Flora and Fauna: Our research team took time to observe the ecology of the area, and learned much about the tropical island. For example, over 50,000 endangered iguana find their home on the island. We also viewed the world’s only conch farm, which are a major ingredient in the local diet. (And you thought they were simply pretty shells!) And there were lots of pretty fish out on the coral reef. We can’t name them, but they sure had nice colors.
Physical Fitness: The Turks & Caicos mentality is one of healing. They know that to heal the mind and soul, one must also work on the body. Our research team participated in many activities, ranging from basketball and street hockey to SCUBA, snorkeling, sailing and trapeze swinging. The resulting bodies were put on display on the beach under a think coat of SPF30. We think they are fine research specimens.
We will let you know if we receive credit for our study abroad. We encourage others to take this interesting course. Look for it next spring in under ClubMed101 – A study in Turks & Caicos culture, environment, and business trends.