How Exactly Do You Prepare?
Anytime someone has to pack for big or long trips it can be quite daunting. However, preparing for my trip to Hong Kong has been a great reason to pull out some of my old bags and supplies and see what I can use for this trip. I have traveled and studied abroad before as an undergraduate student and with family. As a result I have picked up some packing tricks and learned from some of my previous errors. For instance, don’t wait till the night before to decide on what exactly you are going to take. I have many memories of anxiety and panic about that. In order to prevent similar memories from being created I have already begun working on preparations for a couple of weeks now.
One of the first tasks that I decided to do was make a list. I abhor lists. However, I can’t deny their impressive ability to keep one’s mind focused on what is important. On my list I wrote down every single item that I might need. Afterwards I sent the list to some of my friends that have also travelled and asked them to suggest more or remind me that I can live without certain items (sorry, French press). This list helped me organize my time and come up with a schedule of tasks to complete in order to be prepared the night before I head off to Asia.
Another task that I made sure to accomplish was to make sure that any and all of my electronics work. Be it my adapter, laptop or memory cards. I went through each one and cleared it out for space. From my previous experience I learned that the ill-fated death of an electronic gizmo or gadget can cause an unlimited supply of anxiety. This should be avoided at all costs. I will confess though, “needing” to test my camera gave me a great excuse to head out on a mini pre-trip vacation to take some photos and mess with the settings in various locations. You can see in this photo me with a replica of Stonehenge that I found out in the hill country of Texas.
But preparation doesn’t just include figuring out what to take with me; it also includes preparing for the time that I will spend in the program. The program that I am attending will expose us to various sustainability problems that exist in the region. During our two weeks we will have the chance to work with students and professors from the Chinese university. We also will hear from various speakers and actors in various fields who are also working to develop solutions to the problems and issues we will be learning about. Preparing for this part of the trip does require a different approach. Reviewing course material, figuring out locations, and familiarizing myself with policy solutions is a must.
or a policy nerd like me, this program and trip offers a unique opportunity to learn about a field I am passionate about. To simply say I am excited would be an understatement. There is going to be many new people to meet, new food to try and new memories to make.