Student Introductions (1/8)

All the students on the 2014 Botswana Study Abroad Program will introduce themselves, giving them the opportunity to thank the many people and organizations who helped them with funding and support in order to make their study abroad experience possible. We will introduce one tent at a time. We start with Will and Jake who live in the "Geohut 42A" tent (self-named).

I'm Will Crites-Krumm and I'm a senior Geography major with a concentration in sustainability and biogeography. As may be obvious from my concentrations, I'm especially interested in nature conservation and environmental justice. I came on this program not only to travel overseas for my first time as an adult, but to see firsthand how conservation efforts affect the livelihoods of the people closest to them and to learn not from afar and above but from within. Plus, it's awesome career experience doing hands-on research. So far I've had an incredible trip. Without exaggeration, each morning that I get to watch the sun come up over the seemingly endless expanse of the bush I am a little bit more glad to be alive. Even after marching out into the thorny maze of Acacia trees for another day of field work. Oh, and the photography (my passion) is spectacular (I can't wait to get out on safari). So for all of this soul-filling fun, thank you endlessly Mom, Dad, Susan, and Erica for helping me get here. Because here is a place I am really glad to be.

I'm Jake Pflasterer. I'm a geography major wrapping up my last few credits. This program has already enriched me in so many ways, I couldn't possibly list them all. The hands on research (of which there are several hours of every day) is equipping me with a real and applicable skill set, which, in addition to the lectures and interaction with locals is giving me new things to digest daily. I feel I will return to Texas a much more well rounded and knowledgable person better able to find solutions to our collective problems. Thank you COLA (UT Collage of Liberal Arts) and my family for empowering me to do this.