Let the countdown begin!

By Adam O’Neil

In exactly one week from today, I will be boarding a plane headed to Casablanca, Morocco. The feeling is surreal. Yesterday I graduated Summa Cum Laude from ASU with a major in Supply Chain Management and a minor in Sustainability. Studying abroad for me presents an enormous opportunity to network, gain international experience and expand my own horizons. As an Arizona native, I have never really been away from home for more than a few days at a time. The thought of flying more than 17 hours and traveling more than 5,700 miles from home gives me butterflies in my stomach. There really is not a better way I can describe the feeling. I am going to miss my family, my friends, my dog and the comforts of home, but I know they will all be waiting for me when I return. I am thankful that I was able to talk to a friend who went on the same program last year. She told me it was the best experience of her life and highly recommended the program, which eased some of my worries.

Traveling to both Morocco and Spain is going to open my eyes to the world around me and make me a well-rounded person. In preparation for my trip I received multiple vaccines from the ASU health center. I completed a pre-departure course where I read and discussed various articles and current events pertaining to Morocco and Spain. I have drafted a rough draft of my research paper that focuses on the future impact of solar energy in the two countries. I hope to finalize my paper over the course of the trip as I get to explore the two countries first hand. I will be observing local electricity usage and questioning locals about recent and past electrical capabilities. But most exciting is the opportunity to interview officials at the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) and tour the NOOR CSP facility in Morocco. I am thrilled for this wonderful opportunity and I cannot wait to begin my journey!