Pre-trip Intentions and Reflections
Before I applied, I set some intentions for the trip. I wrote the following in a letter to my dad:
"After college, I hope to move into a position where I can have sustainability as a focus. I think natural and cultural experiences will help me to build an appreciation for the world and our natural resources. This program will be a very hands-on and exciting way to dive into some biology that I otherwise would not get at a higher level--typically it takes 3 quarters of biology to make it out of the intro biology series and into some interesting higher level content but this program will dive right in by talking to researchers. In the Andes mountains, I am especially interested in learning about the agricultural techniques they use. I think that developing improvements to the sustainability of farming could have huge environmental impacts.
I really like the way the organizers are structuring the trip. I can go sip coffee and write poetry in Spain when I am old; now I want to explore and connect with nature and meet Peruvian people. The best way to do that is to travel with a backpack and put myself out of cities and off of tourist tracks. I stayed after the info session to talk with the trip organizer, a Peruvian professor. She seems to have a lot of great connections that she has been developing over the years she has done this trip, including her sister who is in the tourism industry. She will put us in locations where we will be interacting with Peruvians, not just in restaurants. Having an experienced Peruvian trip organizer to guide us will be invaluable."
"After college, I hope to move into a position where I can have sustainability as a focus. I think natural and cultural experiences will help me to build an appreciation for the world and our natural resources. This program will be a very hands-on and exciting way to dive into some biology that I otherwise would not get at a higher level--typically it takes 3 quarters of biology to make it out of the intro biology series and into some interesting higher level content but this program will dive right in by talking to researchers. In the Andes mountains, I am especially interested in learning about the agricultural techniques they use. I think that developing improvements to the sustainability of farming could have huge environmental impacts.
I really like the way the organizers are structuring the trip. I can go sip coffee and write poetry in Spain when I am old; now I want to explore and connect with nature and meet Peruvian people. The best way to do that is to travel with a backpack and put myself out of cities and off of tourist tracks. I stayed after the info session to talk with the trip organizer, a Peruvian professor. She seems to have a lot of great connections that she has been developing over the years she has done this trip, including her sister who is in the tourism industry. She will put us in locations where we will be interacting with Peruvians, not just in restaurants. Having an experienced Peruvian trip organizer to guide us will be invaluable."
Life Sciences
So many species here seem very similar to those at home. It makes sense in birds; they are migratory. However, what surprised me most were the lupines in the Andes. We have them in the Cascades, too! Damn, the Earth must be so old--older than I can even imagine--for these two very related plants to exist across the world from each other.
This study abroad reinforced my understanding of the importance of the life sciences. Earth is a huge, complex biological machine with chemical interactions so complicated they create awareness. This not only needs to be preserved, it needs to be understood so that it can be better appreciated while it is here. It is very important that we document what exists now so that we can understand changes over time.
Perhaps I can spin my current work in acoustic sensing towards a future career in environmental monitoring systems. |
Spiders!
Sustainability
> How can I quantify my environmental impact?
> Is it really helpful to buy organic produce if it needs to be shipped another 300 miles to the store?
> How do I know whether I am making the right choice?
> How can I make the most of this experience in order to justify the environmental impact of my plane ticket?
> Is it really helpful to buy organic produce if it needs to be shipped another 300 miles to the store?
> How do I know whether I am making the right choice?
> How can I make the most of this experience in order to justify the environmental impact of my plane ticket?