by Seth Martin
Hey blog readers!
Seth again, writing from Brisbane, Australia! It’s only been six days but to be perfectly honest it feels like I’ve been here a lot longer! So much has happened, that Lloyd and I have decided to blog more than once a week to keep you in the loop and to make our lives easier.
It’s actually quite hard to sum up everything that has happened in this week alone. In just 6 days (and 6 nights) I’ve already had so many great experiences with everyone around me. I feel like I’ve been here 3 or 4 times as long as I actually have been and have grown very close to our study abroad group as well. One thing you’ll find when you study abroad (you had better study abroad) is that the UW Study Abroad Program does a great job of choosing people for the best possible group dynamics. There isn’t a single person in my study abroad group that I find annoying. To be honest, every one of them is interesting in their own way! That’s one really great thing about this trip so far – the group dynamics. Everyone is intelligent, curious, and looking to experience all that Australia has to offer. I’m looking forward to the next few weeks to see how these friendships I’ve forged develop! So because everyone in my group is so interesting, this post is going to give a quick overview of everyone in our group. This will let you know whom Lloyd (the other Australia Blogger) or I am talking about when we post blog updates. So without further adieu let me introduce you to the Australia 2012 Study Abroad Crew!
Name: Elliot Baglini
Age: 19
Major: Material Science Engineering
A tall, charismatic Vermont local, Elliot hopped on board Australia’s study abroad trip to go explore a new part of the world, gain hands on experience with research, and to make new friends along the way. He’s looking forward to seeing the reef and exploring New Zealand after the trip.
Name: Bronzen Williams
Age: 19
Major: Computer Science Engineering
A first year cadet in the Army ROTC program at the University of Washington; Bronzen is no stranger to foreign lands. Bronzen spent 3 years of his life living in Germany and has traveled to the Philippines, China, and Taiwan. Bronzen is looking to get a degree in CSE to aid him in his career with the US Signal Corps. Bronzen opted to join this study abroad program for hands-on research in engineering and to see another part of the world.
Name: Lloyd Pasion
Age: 21
Major: Business & Civil Engineering
A native Hawaiian, Lloyd is serving as the other student blogger for this trip. Lloyd loves technology, robotics, and engineering. If you’d like to know more on him, check out his blog at: http://depts.washington.edu/omad/meet-australia-blogger-lloyd-pasion/
Name: Raymond Koopmans
Age: 23
Major: Mathematics & Biochemistry (graduated)
Ray recently graduated from the University of Washington with a double major in Mathematics and Biochemistry. He’s hoping to apply it to his med school and is interested in becoming a primary care doctor in the area. Ray decided to come on this trip because he had never studied abroad before as an undergraduate and wanted to add it to his long list of college memories. Raymond is currently working on his application into medical school and says that he wouldn’t mind staying at home and getting his medical degree from the University of Washington.
Name: Rem Baumann
Age: 20
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Rem is a junior from Oregon and looking to major in Mechanical Engineering. An active member his fraternity Pi Kappa Phi, Rem enjoys meeting new people wherever he goes. He decided to come on this trip to explore Australia, make new friends, and get real-world experience for his degree in engineering. Rem has already explored much of the world including: China, Mexico, Tahiti, England, Italy, France, and Canada.
Name: Elise Groves
Age: 21
Major: Human-Centered Design & Engineering
Elise is quiet girl from Tacoma seeking a degree in Human-Centered Design & Engineering from the University of Washington. Elise is lucky enough to have explored Amsterdam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Rome, and Canada. She loves to travel, cook, and read. A senior in the college of engineering, Elise is hoping to work in industry before going back to college for a Master’s degree.
Name: Abraham Guadarrama
Age: 18
Major: Computer Science Engineering
Abraham is the youngest in our group hailing from Royal City. Before coming to Australia the only other country Abe had visited was Mexico. Abraham’s perspective is that it isn’t so much the school or type of degree that matters but the experiences, skill sets, and connections you make along the way. Abraham is excited to be in Australia and looking forward to future travels.
Name: Ariel Medina
Age: 18
Major: Bioengineering
Ariel is from the small town of Toppenish, Washington over on the east side of the state. This trip marks Ariel’s first trip out of the United States and she is hoping to continue traveling the world as time goes by. This trip also marks Ariel’s first airplane ride, her first time snorkeling, and her first time throwing a boomerang. She’s excited for this trip and is looking forward to gaining real-world engineering experience at such a young age. Ariel opted onto this trip because she had never explored the world outside the U.S. and was looking for a summer experience to aid in her engineering degree.