We are just about three weeks out from boarding our first plane from Spokane down to Phoenix and I think our group is teetering on the brink of realizing that sooner, rather than later, we will have to actually start packing our bags! We have made great strides in reaching out to multiple contacts both here at Washington State University as well as down in Uruguay and have done copious amounts of research on topics like rotational cattle grazing, sustainable farming and living techniques, and even research on a Uruguayan locally known for making cheese. For many of our stories, we are hoping to advance them as there are so many new ideas to us that Uruguay is known for with their progressive ways of living. We also hope to relate the stories back to the state of Washington itself for a better regional appeal.
For Jakob and I, this will be our first time traveling abroad and we are both anxious to get going as well as a bit nervous. We thank Justin Barnes, an instructor teaching classes on advertising and media planning at the Murrow College, for coming to one of our meetings and letting us know what to expect when we get down to the Rizoma Field School as it greatly helped our nerves, but also gave us a sense of what we should prepare for. Mr. Barnes actually served as the guide for a group of students from the University of Idaho while he was working for the university.
Angelica and Celeste have dived deep into the profile of Ashley Colby Fitzgerald and Patrick Fitzgerald by reaching out to those who knew the two Washington State University grads here at WSU. As of now, we have almost 15 contacts to sift through so we are all pitching in and doing our part to get some good anecdotes and details on the couple living in Uruguay. So far, I would say we are on a roll with our research and are all getting prepared to take on the stories we embark on and encounter while we are down at and around the Rizoma Field School.
There may only be a few more weeks until we start our journey, but we are still putting in the work needed for bringing back some interesting stories to our university and the region!
