Days 9-19

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Mom brought it to my attention that I have not updated my blog, and I'm sure you will believe me when I say it's because I have been having too much fun! I have a lot of class every day (at least 4 hours and sometimes 7), but it is in the city so we explore on our breaks. I have seen a lot of great shopping, but the exchange rate doesn't make anything worth it. I have been cooking for myself a lot in the dorm, and I found some great frozen Wok vegetables that bring all of my neighbors to find out what smells so great. I met a lot of Vanderbilt kids in the dorm we live in, and I really love all of the people in my program. My room-mate is very quiet and shy, but we live well together so I could not ask for anything more (well, maybe I will ask for the same thing next session since she is only staying for one).

With all this new knowledge and learning, I am torn between my passion to make changes in the world and my feeling of helplessness if the US does not get on board with the rest of the European countries. All this talk about sustainability has really got me thinking. For my final paper, I plan on writing a plan to implement at Vanderbilt so that I can raise awareness and concern while informing those little consumers of their practical options for making a difference in the way the market responds to the climate change crisis. This is probably all very boring for you, but it excites me so I know that probably makes you happy. I could definitely see myself jumping on the sustainability consulting or marketing bandwagon, so keep your ears to the ground if you hear of any great companies (I have already started to do my research).

It is very interesting to hear the overwhelming support of Obama from the Danes and many Europeans in general. They are as invested in the outcome of the election as we are (at least the people I have been talking with) because they need a president that is willing to make a change in favor of all the efforts they have been planning in anticipation of US support. I think that whoever came up with Obama's catch phrase of CHANGE is the happiest person in the world right now, because it has most certainly lit a fire. We visited the Danish Ministry for Climate & Energy, and the speaker was saying that the COP-15 Summit in Copenhagen in 2009 has been mainly centered around strategizing ways to get the US to ratify the Kyoto Protocol (which is a basically a pledge to reduce carbon emissions by some percentage based on per capita emissions) regardless of the actions of China and India. We are pretty important to the success or failure of this movement, and if we don't move within the next 5 years, they keep telling us we're going to be in a lot of trouble. Alright, I'm probably boring you again.

I have class in a few minutes, and we are on the top floor of the DIS building so I have to make my way up four flights of winding, steep stairs. Also, the automatic lights keep turning off overhead because I'm not really moving enough to signal to them. Then I have to wave my hands around like a crazy person, and I would be mortified if someone walked into the computer lab and saw me. So don't tell anyone 😊

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