Before my college career at Appalachian State University started, I knew I wanted to study abroad. I have a passion for travel, and learning about new cultures and their histories. I also value the importance of cultural immersion. Cultural immersion allows for the opportunity for discussion of new ideals, passions, and knowledge. With the opportunity to study abroad in the spring semester of 2022, I am planning on using and applying my experience with cultural immersion to change the way we think about our world's climate and sustainable future. To achieve this goal, I am planning on studying abroad in the Netherlands. I ultimately decided on the Netherlands because of the country's commitment and dedication to the practice of environmental sustainability. As a global community we are running out of time to take action against the ever increasing threat of global climate change. By studying abroad in the Netherlands I hope to learn from their environmental practices, allowing me the opportunity to advocate for the implementation of the newly learned practices in my own community and across the United States. I want to make a lasting impact on this earth, that will not only impact my generation but future generations to come. I believe that to win this climate battle we all need to join forces and fight together. I want to stay aware, active, and fight for a sustainable future that will continue on for future generations to come. Every year, we see more and more evidence of the negative consequences that our past and present lifestyles have on the health of our planet. Across the world, we see images of wildfires in Australia, California, and the Amazon Rainforest; paired with images of burning and dying wildlife. We see images of catastrophic earthquakes and hurricanes that get stronger, more frequent, and deadlier. As the years progress, we see images of coral reefs dying from increased ocean temperatures, and images of melting ice caps in the Arctic. Accompanied with these images, we see breaking news stories about oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, sea creatures being suffocated by our plastic floating in their waters, corporations dumping toxic waste into waterways, and smog filled countries from our over production of fossil fuels. Our Planet is dying along with all of its creatures, and the time to save our planet and our future is slipping away. We need to devote every waking minute to saving our planet and all the species that inhabit it. One small action can turn into one big change if we all come together and fight for our future.

Before my college career at Appalachian State University started, I knew I wanted to study abroad. I have a passion for travel, and learning about new cultures and their histories. I also value the importance of cultural immersion. Cultural immersion allows for the opportunity for discussion of new ideals, passions, and knowledge. With the opportunity to study abroad in the spring semester of 2022, I am planning on using and applying my experience with cultural immersion to change the way we think about our world's climate and sustainable future. To achieve this goal, I am planning on studying abroad in the Netherlands. I ultimately decided on the Netherlands because of the country's commitment and dedication to the practice of environmental sustainability. As a global community we are running out of time to take action against the ever increasing threat of global climate change. By studying abroad in the Netherlands I hope to learn from their environmental practices, allowing me the opportunity to advocate for the implementation of the newly learned practices in my own community and across the United States. I believe that to win this climate battle we all need to join forces and fight together. I want to stay aware, active, and fight for a sustainable future that will continue on for future generations to come. Every year, we see more and more evidence of the negative consequences that our past and present lifestyles have on the health of our planet. Across the world, we see images of wildfires in Australia, California, and the Amazon Rainforest; paired with images of burning and dying wildlife. We see images of catastrophic earthquakes and hurricanes that get stronger, more frequent, and deadlier. As the years progress, we see images of coral reefs dying from increased ocean temperatures, and images of melting ice caps in the Arctic. Accompanied with these images, we see breaking news stories about oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, sea creatures being suffocated by our plastic floating in their waters, corporations dumping toxic waste into waterways, and smog filled countries from our over production of fossil fuels. Our Planet is dying along with all of its creatures, and the time to save our planet and our future is slipping away. We need to devote every waking minute to saving our planet and all the species that inhabit it. One small action can turn into one big change if we all come together and fight for our future.