Dear all at Ecoclub,

I am a thirty six year-old Franco-British citizen looking to enter the field of ecotourism professionally. I would feel particularly enthusiastic about contributing my skills and experience to a new venture, or to an organisation looking to expand the scope of their activities.

Over ten years of living and working outside Europe, as well as extensive travelling and prolonged stays abroad, have revealed to me just how fulfilling immersion in a different environment and culture can be. However, I believe that even during a short stay abroad, the traveller need not see only the surface of things, and need not remain separate from the society or place visited. I believe that when tourism brings people closer together, raises awareness and celebrates the beauty of diversity, a truly unforgettable experience is born. Furthermore, I believe that most basic values of eco- or green tourism – respect for the environment society, a just financial return for the local people, low impact small-scale ventures – should be a matter of course. (The expression, "ecosocially-just" tourism, on the Ecoclub website, is, I feel, quite fitting). I do not think eco-tourism should be a political statement, but rather an opportunity for personal growth and realizing that even simple pleasures and low key interaction can be hugely rewarding when abroad.

I am in France at the moment, having just returned from 9 months teaching in China followed by seven months in Australia and New Zealand. Since graduating in Japanese and Thai from the School of Oriental and African studies in 2000, I have lived for a total of nearly eight years in Japan and Thailand, as well as staying for relatively long periods in Nepal, South Korea, Malaysia and Burkina Faso, and travelling in Laos, India, Taiwan, and Ghana. Prior to this, I spent a gap year in Northern Thailand, working as a volunteer among Karen hill-tribe people; laying water pipes to bring water to villages, teaching English and helping organize and coordinate other volunteers. I have always endeavoured to live like the local people and to learn as much of their language as possible – there is nothing like interacting with people on their own wavelength.

I am at present aiming to redefine my career path, after working mainly as a freelance translator of books and secondarily as an EFL teacher, though I have also published a book of my own on Japan and am working on my writing skills. Although I have travelled much over more than a decade, I would be quite prepared to settle and commit longer term to a project should this be beneficial to all concerned.

Some potential employers might point out that it seems I have little work experience directly related to ecotourism, and I will not dispute this. However I would suggest this is not hugely relevant, and believe that my communication and organizational skills, and my adaptability to new environments and places are an asset. There may be new skills to learn, and this I will do willingly, but I am an advocate of self-learning and moderately skilled with my hands, so feel confident I can pick up new knowledge quickly. Furthermore, my enthusiasm for authentic travel is born of direct experience, as well as direct observation of local conditions during my prolonged stays in various countries.

I hope you will take the time to look over my CV, and will not hesitate to contact me should you require further information.

Regards,

Jim Harvey