Since I leave for my whirlwind adventure in two days (‘zomg it hasn’t hit me yet fully) I figured it was fitting to create a blog to document my adventures! On Saturday I am flying into the wonderful city of New Orleans, LA to visit the fabulous Emily Perbix and meet the 34 other students who are on my study abroad program. I whole-heartedly believe that Facebook is the Devil’s incarnation of hell on earth and have had mine deactivated for the past 7 months. Which means I have not had the simultaneously exciting/terrifying opportunity to adequately stalk everyone so I have absolutely no idea what to expect! What I am expecting is a semester full of incomparable experiences, great new friends, and the journey of a lifetime.
As an Anthropology and Environmental Studies major at The College of Wooster I have had some exposure to the success and pitfalls that come with the rapid urbanization of the world today. But not nearly enough! The SIT IHP Cities of the 21st Century: People, Planning, and Politics program I am attending this semester will hopefully open my eyes even further to urbanization as well as help me understand the world that I live in a little bit better. Real talk, as a middle-class white girl living in suburban America I could sure use some more life experience, and this is exactly what this program will provide. I begin my program in New Orleans and then have the amazing opportunity to spend all of September in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October in Capetown, South Africa, November in Hanoi, Vietnam, and then backpacking for three weeks through Thailand and Cambodia! Those are a helluva lot of countries, and a helluva lot of things to learn!
Speaking of, I am currently strug-a-luggin’ through the UN-HABITAT report we are assigned for the beginning of our program. Interesting stuff, but I know I’m going in way underprepared. But eager to learn. I get to take four courses; Urban Politics and Development, Culture and Society of World Cities, Urban Planning and Sustainable Environments (yipeee), and Contemporary Urban Issues: Problems and Solutions. I am beyond excited for all of these courses (maybe not so much politics but life goes on) and am excited to meet all the amazing people I get to experience this adventure with.
Anyways, hopefully I can update all ya’ faithful followers in the blogosphere with pictures, stories, anecdotes, and the occasional reblog! For now, I am just going to enjoy the last few days I have with my best friend Zoe (and her momma Karen) in Chicago!
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