Study Abroad Series

During the summer of 2013, I had the amazing opportunity of studying abroad for two weeks in Washington D.C. and in London. The experience was more than I had ever expected it to be. Since the program’s focus was on comparing sustainability across cultures and governments, I learned so much about the complexity of passing sustainable policy in both the U.S. and the U.K., not to mention I had the opportunity to speak with government officials that are so far up in both systems I can’t even write their names here for confidentiality reasons. They were so informative and resourceful. Most importantly, I returned home far more confident in my own skin than I had been before and with a whole new perspective of the world and of government in general.

Before my trip began, I kept a timeline of all the important events leading up to it, and during the trip, I blogged about each and every day. Additionally, I was the official blogger for the trip and wrote a few posts for the Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives Global Sustainability Studies Programs website. I hope you will enjoy my stories as much as I enjoyed writing them!

Official Blogposts

6/4/13: Pre-Departure, also published here on the 2013 Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives Global Sustainability Studies Programs blogsite.

6/10/13: The Six-Days-Before-Departure Post

6/15/13: Day 1: June 15, 2013

6/16/13: Day 2: June 16, 2013

6/16/13: Day 2: An Addendum

6/17/13: Day 3 And the Rest of Day 2: June 17, 2013

6/18/13: Day 4: June 18, 2013

6/19/13: Day 5: June 19, 2013

6/20/13: Day 6: June 20, 2013

6/21/13: Day 7: June 21, 2013

6/21/13: Day 7: An Addendum

6/22-23/13: Day 8/9: June 22-23, 2013

6/24/13: Day 10: June 24, 2013

6/24/13: Sustainability and Government: The Most Complicated Puzzle of All Time, also published here on the 2013 Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives Global Sustainability Studies Programs blogsite

6/25/13: Day 11: June 25, 2013

6/26/13: Day 12: June 26, 2013. Piccadilly.

6/27/13: Day 13: June 27, 2013

6/28/13: Day 14: June 28, 2013, also published here on the 2013 Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives Global Sustainability Studies Programs blogsite

6/29/13: Day 15: June 29, 2013

6/30/13: Day 16: June 30, 2013

7/1/13: Day 17: July 1, 2013 And Beyond – Final Thoughts, also published here on the 2013 Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives Global Sustainability Studies Programs blogsite

Additional Blogposts:

10/16/13: Of Governments, Complexity, and a Changed Perspective, also published here on the 2013 Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives Global Sustainability Studies Programs blogsite

Spring 2014: Part of the Solution: My Trip to Washington, D.C. and London – An Interview. (You can additionally view my interview on the 2013 Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives Global Sustainability Studies Programs blogsite here.)

Offical Timeline

1/26/13: I decide to take a chance and apply for the study abroad program I want to attend: Comparing Sustainability Across Cultures and Governments.

1/30/13: Scholarship application submitted.

2/6/13: I received a scholarship from the Walton Sustainability Solutions Student Support Program and was named an official participant!!

2/14/13: Thank you letters sent.

2/23/13: Travel grant application sent.

3/5/13: First orientation. Had to cancel due to class

3/6/13: Passport application officially sent.

3/21/13: Passport arrived in the mail.

3/22/13: Class registration complete and enrollment forms submitted.

3/25/13: First orientation (take two).

3/28/13: Global Sustainability Scholars Reception

4/5/13: Airline tickets purchased.

4/24/13: Pre-departure orientation for entire group of study-abroad students.

4/25/13: Final pre-departure meeting for the D.C./London team; 1-page prospectus due.

5/14/13: Named an official ASU student blogger for the trip.

5/31/13: Arrival information for D.C. sent out.

6/7/13: Arrival information for London sent out.

6/3/13: First paper for project due.

6/15/13: Departure for Washington, D.C.!

6/22/13: Departure for London, England!

Shorts and Snippets