Hiatus Ends, Adventure Begins
Someone caught the travel bug.
I did. And I ran around like a diseased maniac for about 2.5 months getting all the paperwork together so I could make the best study abroad experience EVER be possible in a very short time frame.
Because I can't choose one place, and because I must be extra in everything, I will be studying (insert nerdy interests)* in Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji for ten weeks.
*Nerdy interests = The Triple Bottom Line, when a company/business/manufacturer takes into account the social, economic, and environmental aspects which are impacted.
While Cal Poly does offer some amazing options to study abroad, I chose to, instead, go rogue and find my own program.
Step 1. Google: "sustainability study abroad"
Until! I stumbled upon this site! Which enables me to travel to four amazing places, study what I want (affordably), and only miss one quarter of the Cal Poly year.
For awhile I was comparing it to one of these projects which offered all the same details I wanted, but.... you know,...FIJI.
(I highly recommend the second link to those wanting a more field-based ecological project experience which will completely immerse you in a country's natural world to study their ecosystem. #raw)
Fast-forward to one week before departure (this week).
My mother always taught me to over-prepare, so therefore I am super good at cooking too much food, and also packing too much. Hence, S T R E S S!
But, now everything is packed, lists are double checked, and excitement is settling in.
So what do you do when you feel prepared AF?
Take pictures to document that you were once prepared AF.
(Thanks mom)
Ten weeks, one backpack and a suitcase. My first challenge yet.
Everyone is asking if I am excited. I feel the same way I did before I moved to California, I mean of course it is going to be fun, but, I anticipate some parts being hard.
I've had a lot of time to weigh the potential conflicts I may face while abroad...
I mean, what if I am not peachy enough for the Georgia kids I am travelling with? What if I HATE VEGEMITE?! What if I am kicked out of Australia because my Australian accent isn't good enough? (actually plausible.)
But in the end, this will be something I can't forget. (a feat for a person with short-term memory loss)
1st stop: Kona, Hawaii
Next time I check in I will be back in my second home living the Aloha life! Mahalo!!!
I did. And I ran around like a diseased maniac for about 2.5 months getting all the paperwork together so I could make the best study abroad experience EVER be possible in a very short time frame.
Because I can't choose one place, and because I must be extra in everything, I will be studying (insert nerdy interests)* in Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji for ten weeks.
*Nerdy interests = The Triple Bottom Line, when a company/business/manufacturer takes into account the social, economic, and environmental aspects which are impacted.
While Cal Poly does offer some amazing options to study abroad, I chose to, instead, go rogue and find my own program.
Step 1. Google: "sustainability study abroad"
Which involved a lot of this
and this
Until! I stumbled upon this site! Which enables me to travel to four amazing places, study what I want (affordably), and only miss one quarter of the Cal Poly year.
For awhile I was comparing it to one of these projects which offered all the same details I wanted, but.... you know,...FIJI.
(I highly recommend the second link to those wanting a more field-based ecological project experience which will completely immerse you in a country's natural world to study their ecosystem. #raw)
Fast-forward to one week before departure (this week).
My mother always taught me to over-prepare, so therefore I am super good at cooking too much food, and also packing too much. Hence, S T R E S S!
But, now everything is packed, lists are double checked, and excitement is settling in.
So what do you do when you feel prepared AF?
Take pictures to document that you were once prepared AF.
(Thanks mom)
Ten weeks, one backpack and a suitcase. My first challenge yet.
Everyone is asking if I am excited. I feel the same way I did before I moved to California, I mean of course it is going to be fun, but, I anticipate some parts being hard.
"Cassi you're going on the adventure of a lifetime, why would this be hard?"
Yeah, you're right. Going so far from my home for the first time for ten weeks with all strangers sounds like something I've been training for my whole life. But seriously, this sudden and extreme exposure might do good things, might do bad things, but it will do great things to me that I have never had to experience, and to me that is a wonderful opportunity for growth.I've had a lot of time to weigh the potential conflicts I may face while abroad...
I mean, what if I am not peachy enough for the Georgia kids I am travelling with? What if I HATE VEGEMITE?! What if I am kicked out of Australia because my Australian accent isn't good enough? (actually plausible.)
But in the end, this will be something I can't forget. (a feat for a person with short-term memory loss)
1st stop: Kona, Hawaii
Next time I check in I will be back in my second home living the Aloha life! Mahalo!!!
remmidemmi reference, nice
ReplyDelete