This semester has been a whirlwind. And it’s not over yet. I still have another month to push through until Francisco gets here (that’s my deadline to get all my projects done, more than anything). I’ll probably end up working during my Thanksgiving break, since I’ll have extra time on my hands. I keep thinking that the more I get done now, the less I’ll have to do later. Now, that’s not to say that I want it to end. I’m very excited for next semester all ready, so much in fact that I went ahead and planned out all my courses about two months in advance. Guess that’s why I’m in planning school.
Planning for next summer has already started too. I’m trying to find a planning internship down in Fortaleza so I can kill two birds with one stone (visit Francisco while being proactive and productive in my field). But, it’s turning out a bit harder to find than I’d initially assumed. I have to bring out the big guns and get back into contact with a few people that might have leads for me. It’s becoming more and more obvious that the really exciting planning isn’t being done in Fortaleza. With such things as the Olympics in Rio 2016, the World Cup in 2014 and simply a crucial need for smart cities, the innovative and publicized work is being done in Rio, São Paulo, Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte. That’s great, but the places that really need the help are to the north and west. Plus, I’d rather do something I’m super interested in while in Fortaleza. And this isn’t necessarily politically motivated either; there are a lot of organizations and consulting firms that do small urban projects internationally (and many are in Brazil).
In other news, I was officially recognized for my work on the Capital Improvements Stakeholder Committee (Round 1). Last Monday, the City Manager of Boulder, Jane Brautigam, presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation (with my name spelled just a little wrong) and a hard hat helmet with the City logo on it. Everyone on the committee was recognized.
