Post 1: Pre-Departure

Part 1: Thoughts about Culture

Well, I'm all packed! I still cannot believe that I am going to be in Brazil in just 2 days. I have never
been out of the country for over two weeks, and I have never been south of the equator. In fact, no one
in my extended family has been south of the equator. It’s going to be an amazing experience learning
about a new culture that is so different from what I know here in the U.S. I’m not exactly sure what to
expect, but from what I have learned so far, I think Brazilian people will be more open, talkative, and
casual than what I am used to. I’ve heard that they tend to enjoy the little moments in life and take
personal relationships with others (friends, family, work partners, etc.) very seriously. When I picture
Brazil, I picture music, soccer, vibrant colors, rain forest, and lots of fruit. So much fruit. But of course
the only way to find out if this is true is to go there and see for myself.

Being in another country where I do not know the customs or the language will likely be
uncomfortable, a bit scary, and exciting at the same time. When I was in Europe last summer, there
were definitely times where I was a bit nervous because I had to speak in a completely foreign
language to me. But these were also the times that I was able to connect with someone new, and they
were some of the coolest moments of my life. I am looking forward to having many of these moments
while I’m in Brazil. I feel so fortunate to be able to immerse myself in a new culture for a whole
month. I can’t wait to order food in Brazilian restaurants, to talk to students there, to visit major
Brazilian cultural sites, and to perhaps, sometimes, make a fool of myself. I think the best way to learn
about another culture is to practice the language, talk to people, and pay attention to everything, so this
is what I plan to do. I also want to take as many photos as possible so I can remember all the memories
I make, and also so I can show my family back home what it’s like there. And then hopefully get a few
of them south of the equator, too.  :)

Part 2: Questions I have about Alternative Energy

Is nuclear energy truly clean? If it isn’t, can we survive solely on “cleaner” renewable energy sources?

Are biomass and biofuels reliable energy sources and can they be considered renewable if they can be used up?

What is the best vehicle design to make them more efficient? What materials should be used? How small does the car need to be?

Does switching to renewable energy take jobs away? Or can these people be employed at renewable energy facilities?

Part 3: Three Reasons to Study Sustainable Energy Technology 

We are running out of fossil fuels. We are now going to extreme measures to find them, and it’s becoming more and more dangerous for both human life and the environment. A few examples of these dangerous measures are mountaintop removal for coal, where the tops of mountains are quite literally blown up, disturbing the land and environment. There is also fracking for natural gas, and offshore drilling for oil, both of which are incredibly hazardous to the environment. Tar sand is one of the worst forms of mining fossil fuels. Sand and soil that contains oil is heated until the oil separates from the sand. This process requires immense amounts of deforestation, poisons the water surrounding it, and completely ruins the land. Alternative energy sources are needed so that these extreme measures can be ended. 

Human-caused climate change is real, and it is a serious issue for all species of animals and the environment. The ice caps are melting, which ruins habitats for species up north, and the seas are rising, flooding lands where species live down south. Coral reefs are dying because of CO2 poisoning, leading underwater species to die, too. Deforestation is killing off species, as well.

Climate change concerns humans, too! The entire planet is in danger of becoming completely uninhabitable.  If the planet warms by 3 degrees Celsius, certain areas in North America, Africa, Europe, etc. will become desert wastelands. If the planet warms by 4 degrees Celsius, there will be no agriculture because plants simply won’t grow. This will cause worldwide hunger, and the human population will quickly decrease. In addition to this, large areas of every continent will be flooded, displacing people all around the world. Weather will be unpredictable and extreme, with huge storms wiping out cities and causing major floods. If we keep using fossil fuels at the rate we are using them, this is our future. There is still hope to reverse this process, but we need to act quickly.