Bienvenidos!

Hola, mundo! My name is Jackie Moran and I am currently a student at American University in our nation's capitol Washington DC. This past year in the district has been full of exciting new adventures and  eye-opening experiences; making me wish I documented it all! My time at American, is spent studying international relations in AU's School of International Service. This past year SIS has begun an accelerated three year BA program for advanced students in their pursuit of an international relations degree. As a part of the Global Scholars inaugural class, a fun perk is the opportunity to study abroad in the summer after your first year of school. From May 20th until June 30th I will be living and studying in South America! My first three weeks will be spent in Ciudad Colon, a town near San Jose within the beautiful country of Costa Rica. While in Costa Rica myself, along with a group of fifteen other students, will be studying International Development at the UN University for Peace (better known as UPEACE or in Spanish Universidad para la Paz). We will be learning both traditionally, through lecture and discussion, as well as experientially. Having Costa Rica, a developing nation, as a backdrop provides a rare insight into the effects of development first hand. While there I will be living in a Costa Rican home, eating Costa Rican food, and immersing myself in the beautiful language and culture. The following three weeks will be spent in Ecuador; with a week in the mountainous capital (over 9000 feet!) of Quito, and the next two weeks sailing throughout the various Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Islands, along with the rest of the world for that matter, are currently faced with a severe environmental crisis. International Environmental Politics is the subject our class in Ecuador is centered around. We will explore the environmental issues facing our world as well as the specific problems throughout the islands. On the Galapagos Islands we will look to discover how local communities can become more educated about the imminent environmental issues surrounding them and what they can do to sustain their beautiful home. I look forward to broadening my horizons through knowledge and sharing my experiences with you!

"Knowledge is power and enthusiasm pulls the switch."
-Steve Droke