Lisa Trapp, 2011 Antarctica student blogger, writes:

About me:

My name is Lisa Trapp. I am a 20-year-old pursuing a major in wildlife science with a double minor in biology and leadership at Virginia Tech. I am a proud Hokie. I love travel and creating new memories that I can look back on for the rest of my life. I am the youngest of three with two older brothers and was raised a Coast Guard brat.

Lisa Trapp with her family at her father's retirement after 30 years of service

This fall I’ve been a student in the Hokies Abroad Antarctica course, participating in online classes and completing course work prior to the field portion of the program.

The Beginning:

Keeping true to a stereotypical college student, its 3:30 in the morning and I am getting my last-minute packing done before heading to Richmond, Virginia in a few hours. My flight to Miami leaves this Thursday, December 15 and the group flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina will leave early on Friday morning, December 16.

It is hard to believe the field portion of the Antarctica course has arrived this quickly. I feel like there is still so much to do in preparation for the trip, but I imagine that the feeling will remain until I am seated on the flight and heading out of the country. I have found myself looking at pictures of Antarctica and am very much unable to believe that I will be seeing all those beautiful sights firsthand. In exactly three days, I will quite literally be embarking on a trip that will, without a doubt, be one of the most amazing experiences of my lifetime.

Check back here in January for my posts about the program!