The Mariposa Study Center is a great spot for Ecotourism. It
is located in Nicaragua in the town of La Concepcion. The study center provides
many goods and services for tourists that want to stay there. Some of the
things they offer are: housing, food provided, volunteer work at various
locations, facilities, and Spanish classes. Providing housing for all the
travelers that come to Mariposa, the workers need to make sure they have enough
room for all of them. There are several cabins located on site that contain
many beds in each cabin. Each cabin holds up to about ten people or more.
Inside the cabins, the beds are bunked providing more room to fit people. They
are very beautiful inside and out which attracts more tourists because of the
homey atmosphere. The travelers that come to see the Mariposa Study Center cant
help but appreciate the hard work and time the workers put in in order to build
the cabins. The more people that come to visit, the more money they generate
which allows more stuff to be built on site providing more things for tourists
to enjoy. The cabin life of Mariposa is a great experience and well worth the
stay for travelers.
With a great touristy spot, comes great food. Mariposa Study
Center offers food three times a day; breakfast lunch and dinner all at set
times. The cooks are very friendly and inviting. They don’t speak English but
it is still fun to try and converse with them. The staff consists of women who
work there and prepare the meals daily. The kitchen in which they work is very
small but provides them with what they need. The kitchen was built years ago in
order to get the attention of tourists. Since there is food provided, travelers
that come realize this and make them want to come again. The more people that
come the more money the place makes giving the cooks an opportunity to make
money. It is a great system between the study center and the cooks because they
both receive what they want. The cooks are hard workers and deserve the money
that tourists bring in. Although the kitchen is small, they still make all
types of food to fit the needs of the tourists. The amounts of tourists that
come play a huge role in this. The more money that is brought in, the more the
cooks can get paid, and the more they can expand the kitchen.
Another great thing about the Mariposa Study Center is that
they offer Spanish classes everyday. These classes are for tourists that stay
in the cabins. The classes can start from intermediate Spanish to advanced
Spanish depending on the Spanish level of the traveler. This gives tourists a
great chance to learn Spanish while staying at Mariposa. Having Spanish classes
offered right there gives more motivation to travelers to want to stay there.
Providing Spanish, more visitors will want to stay there because it gives them
a chance to improve their Spanish. The classes are all one on ones directly
with the teacher, no one else. One on one class is a great and easier way to
pick up the language. The teacher can put their attention on that one student.
The classes are held outside either on the chairs next to the hammocks or right
behind it where there are tables and chairs to sit on. The classes are held
everyday for a certain amount of time each day. The one on one experience
allows the student and teacher to get through learning easily. This is a great
service given to tourists by Mariposa. This is just one more tourist attraction
that helps bring in money for Mariposa by tourists.
Not only does Mariposa provide sinks, showers, and filtered
water, they provide hot water. There are two valves on the outside of the shower
near the sinks that people need to turn on to get the hot water going. Mariposa
contains two tanks on top of the bathroom roof. They have solar water heating
there which is a great renewable energy technology. These kinds of systems are
designed to deliver hot water for most of the year there. During the winter in
Mariposa, the solar heater might not provide sufficient hot water. The way the
system works is that the storage tanks are horizontally mounted above the solar
collectors on the roof. No pumping is required because the hot water naturally
rises into the tank. The heat form the sun generates enough power to heat the
water providing hot water for the showers. This is a great and sufficient way
to give off hot water. Many travelers that come to Mariposa want hot water for
their showers. The solar water heater generously gives it to them. This system
brings more tourists in because they offer cold or hot water in their showers.
Tourists also love the idea of how it is using renewable energy instead of harming
the environment.
Along with housing and food, Mariposa also offers volunteer
work. There are several sites close by that tourists can volunteer at. This
gives the people an opportunity to help out others in need. It is a great
experience and could be life changing for some. The experience a person can get
out of volunteering and helping out others could make a lasting impression on
the person they are helping out. Some volunteer work that Mariposa offers are
helping out at a school, whether that consists of reading to the children,
playing with them, or just helping the teachers watch them, and volunteering at
a farm. From my experience as a volunteer, helping out with kids is something
one will not forget. The kids are so happy to see you and talk to you its
amazing. A person can leave a long lasting impression on these kids and they
will always remember them. The kids will not want you to leave and will talk
nonstop. It is sad to have to say goodbye to them because you will probably not
see them again, but knowing you helped these kids out is worth it. With all the
volunteer work that is offered, Mariposa is able to attract more tourists from
all around the world, generating more income for the community.
The scenery of Mariposa is breathtaking. It is
very beautiful there. The way Mariposa Study Center sits on top of a cliff
overlooking parts of Nicaragua is beautiful. You can see miles in front of you
in different directions. The view is spectacular. It gives tourists an
opportunity to see parts of Nicaragua they might not get a chance to see while
being there. The sites draw tourists to come and stay there because it is great
to see, especially at night when the lights are on. People get a chance to see
Nicaragua from a higher vantage point than most places. There are hammocks that
are outside that people can sit on to look at the view. The sunset is very
beautiful as well. People have a chance to sit on chairs or lay in hammocks in order
to watch the sunset. It is a site to see that’s for sure. The beauty of the
view allows Mariposa to attract more tourists yearly. With all the services and
commodities Mariposa offers, it is no wonder why they attract so many
customers. Mariposa is a great touristy spot in a great location. The view, the
food, and the housing are some of the main reasons why
Mariposa is able to generate more income yearly. Thanks to tourists, they are
able to expand Mariposa more and more.
Author: Jordan Kalebaugh
Author: Jordan Kalebaugh
