Final Projects

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Katie Miller

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Katie Miller

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Hola! <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Cal Poly, Humboldt <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2023 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Bilbao, Spain <i>Program provider:</i> SIT <i>Major/minor:</i> Environmental Science & Management / Energy & Climate <i>Demographics:</i> First-Generation College Student, Woman in STEM <i>Future career aspirations:</i> I see myself working to solve urban design issues in the face of climate change. My career goals include project-based collaboration to create a sustainable future. <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> 1. My first goal is to experience how another country's urban spaces respond to climate change. 2. Experience local involvement in urban development. I am incredibly curious to see how Spain in particular combats issues of gentrification and short-term building. 3. I am also aiming to immerse myself as much as possible in the community. I want to experience how people in another culture balance leisure and work.

My time here in Spain is wrapping up. Classes have ended and I am spending my time on my personal project, hanging out with friends, and finally taking a moment to rest.

My classes at Deusto, the University of Girona, and in the field have been centered around two main topics – sustainable urban design in the Basque country and housing rights/rights to the city. These two main topics have guided the lectures and experiences that we have had and now, it is time to do our own research and draw from what we have learned here. I am choosing to write my final paper about energy in Spain and more broadly in the EU. From an urban standpoint, I plan to discuss energy centers and consumption in urban areas. I also want to address energy production and where that takes place (focusing on Spain). Then, more broadly, I plan to discuss EU policy on renewable integration and how this is impacting rural communities. Everyone in the group is choosing a different topic and I am excited to see everyone’s presentations!

A lot of my time here has been spent with others in the group. This program necessitates a significant amount of togetherness which has served to bond many of us. As our time here comes to an end, we’ve all been a little saddened by the realization that we’ll be parting ways so soon. In the days since class has ended, our little group has linked together to work, lay on the beach, watch movies, and listen to live music. Throughout this program, our time has been packed with activities. It has been common to sleep for 4 or 5 hours a night just because every other hour of the day is filled to the brim. Now that classes are over, we have more unstructured time. This has allowed me to finally catch up on some much-needed rest. Although, there is still a lot going on!

In the last three days, I have attended two concerts, one dance party, and one movie slumber party. I like to think that all of this helps me concentrate when it comes time to write. I guess I’ll be testing out that theory this week….

Overall, I am feeling a little ready to be in my own bed but sadder to think I’ll be departing so soon. Everyone told me that this experience would have an impact on me and (very cheesy) that this would be a life-changing experience. I had no way to prepare for what that could possibly have meant, but now that I’m standing at the end, looking through to the beginning, I see that I am now situated differently in the world. The experiences that I have gained here are deeply personal and the people I’ve met inseparably connected to this time here. Temporally ephemeral with lessons tattooed internal. Just eight days left. The next time you’ll hear from me will be the last, so agur for now!