For five days, University of Maine senior Mia Bellemare explored Thailand’s Koh Chang island, studying how tourism affects the environment.
Her fieldwork took her to forests, waterfalls and resorts.
The field trip, hosted by Mahidol University International College in Salaya, Thailand, was part of Bellemare’s spring 2026 semester abroad. She said learning about the relationship between Thailand’s environment and its tourism industry inspired her to pursue an international career in parks, recreation and tourism.
“We learned a lot about how tourism impacted a prominent species, the ghost crab, by studying quadrat counts and behavior during certain times of the day, proposing theories on the effects of lights from the resorts and basic human activity,” she said. “We also learned about the island sustaining itself post-tourism season, and how crop trees such as rubber trees and cashew trees are optimally harvested during this time.”
Bellemare enrolled at Mahidol through CIS Abroad,
Bellemare enrolled at Mahidol through CIS Abroad, an organization that arranges study abroad programs for U.S. college students.
A typical day for Bellemare started with a 20-minute walk or a motorbike ride to class and ended with exploring urban areas alongside fellow study abroad students and Thai friends — a routine she called the highlight of her study abroad experience.
“I left Thailand with a new sense of empathy that expanded my worldview in a way I didn’t even know existed and probably would have never known if I didn’t take the chance to study abroad,” Bellemare said.
Her coursework at UMaine, including REM 210: Nature-Based
Her coursework at UMaine, including REM 210: Nature-Based Tourism & Sustainable Development: Adventure Patagonia — a travel-study course in Chile — helped prepare her for studying in Thailand, she said.
The class combined academic study with outdoor adventures such as backpacking, glacier hiking, sea kayaking and exploring national parks. As her first exposure to international tourism, it broadened her understanding of how different cultures interact with their natural environment.
“Outdoor leadership classes I’ve taken have also given me a jump start on the recreational activities that we participated in during the CIS Abroad Mahidol program, such as kayaking, hiking, backpacking and camping,” Bellemare said.
Bellemare said she will draw on her experiences
Bellemare said she will draw on her experiences in Thailand as she completes her upper-level coursework at UMaine.
“I know that what I learn here at UMaine can be applied internationally, and what I learned in Thailand can be applied in my community here,” she said.
Staff in UMaine’s Office of International Programs helped Bellemare find a program that matched her interest in sustainable tourism. The School of Forest Re
Just do it, she said when asked what
“Just do it,” she said when asked what advice she would offer to students in the UMaine School of Forest Reve the privilege to study abroad, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not taking advantage of this personal and professional development opportunity.”
Bellemare plans to study abroad in Gwangju, South Korea, in spring 2027. Afterward, she hopes to apply what she has learned to conservation and tourism work in Maine and beyond.
“I believe my understanding of key parts of Thai culture and identity will help me guide and lead tours with people from diverse backgrounds in my future nature-based tourism career,” Bellemare said.
Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, student news writer
Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu
