Well, as all good things must come to an end, my internship here at National Geographic will be over in approximately 1 hour. I’ve had a great time here, learned a LOT about blogging and met a TON of great people. Before moving on to other adventures, I’d like to share with you the next five things I plan on doing with my life now that I won’t be writing this blog.

1. Driving back to Oklahoma to eat my favorite food

Yes, I am from Oklahoma, where the wind goes sweeping down the plains. I’m heading back to the ‘breadbasket’ of America tomorrow morning, but since it is a 20 hour drive, I probably won’t arrive until Saturday afternoon. My favorite things about Oklahoma:

    Great Mexican food
    Wide open spaces
    Dirt roads
    BBQs at the lake

I’m not going to lie; I’ve missed those things immensely ever since I arrived here in D.C. As always, it’s great to go home every now and then.

2. Going to learn to scuba dive in Honduras

Before I learned about this internship, I enrolled in a study abroad class to Honduras. My professor required that I buy my plane ticket to Honduras when I signed up for the class. But, as things happen, I was offered this amazing opportunity here at National Geographic and I had to respectfully withdraw from the trip. Luckily, I was able to reschedule my tickets, and now I am taking a personal vacation to learn how to scuba dive in the world-class reefs off the coast of Honduras. I’m hoping I get to see some whale sharks; wish me luck!

3. Ride my bicycle from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine

Yep, that’s right. Two of my pals and I are going to be riding our bikes from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The name of our trip: BroQuest. On June 1st, we will arrive in Portland, OR, assemble our bicycles, sleep a little bit, and then set off on the journey of a lifetime. I encourage you to follow the progress of our “gigantic traveling dork circus.”

4. Move to Bloomington, Indiana

Literally as soon as we are done with BroQuest, I must make my way back
to Oklahoma, load up my little tiny pickup truck with all my
belongings, and make my way to Bloomington, Indiana. Why am I moving to
Indiana? Read on:

5. Attending Grad School and Teaching at Indiana University… FOR FREE

This fall, I will be starting in the masters program of Geography at
Indiana University. As part of my enrollment, I will be working as a
teaching assistant, which, incidentally, covers my tuition and fees.
I’ve gotta say, this is incredible (especially considering how much I
paid for my undergraduate degree). So, if you are a student at Indiana,
keep an eye out for the tall guy with the goofy glasses.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone that I have worked with,
especially Sarah. She has been an amazing/awesome/rad boss… in fact,
the raddest boss. Seriously. But in addition to being the raddest boss,
she is also an all around brodacious girl! SURF’S UP SARAH!

Thanks everyone!
Cameron for My Wonderful World

5 Reasons I’ll Miss Cameron

1. Quantity

Cameron has been the most prolific MWW intern blogger to date, ensuring that our readers are always up to speed on the latest geographic trends and happenings. I’m going to be scrambling faster than Cameron pedals his bicycle to maintain his pace of production over the next couple weeks!

2. Quality

Beyond the obvious quality of prose, Cameron has a unique background–including six years of military service–that informs his writing and has breathed life and fervor into the blog. Cameron expresses his opinions with conviction and isn’t afraid to take strong stances on issues, which makes for interesting reading and fuels audience engagement (that is, comments from YOU).

3. Perspective

A former graphic design student and son of two chefs, Cameron shares interests–and talent–in both art and food with summer 2008 intern Jeremy. Where will I turn for cooking tips, artistic perspective–and the inherent geographic connections–in his absence?!

4. Inspiration

You no doubt noticed that Cameron likes to DO GEOGRAPHY through EXTREME human-environment interactions–of the sportin’ variety. An experienced outdoor adventure guide, Cameron has personally accompanied me on several excursions during his D.C. tenure, and has inspired me to bring my bicycle out of hiding. I’m sure he’s motivated other readers to get out and get active, too. So thanks buddy!

5. It’s not over yet…

Perhaps the one point of comfort in Cameron’s departure is my knowledge of the interest and skill in blogging he developed over the course of his internship. Much like Jeremy, who went on to start his own foodie blog, Cameron will continue to bring his adventurous spirit to the interweb through a journal chronicling his upcoming cross-country bike trip. Follow Cameron on his Broquest journey from Portland, OR to Portland, ME this summer!

Thanks again Cameron. Bon Voyage!
Sarah for My Wonderful World

Images courtesy Peacecorps, Madoc Public School, CA,  Broquest.com.