Introduction to My Germany Trip!

Hi, I'm Caroline Richards. I am Junior at Virginia Tech with an exciting trip planned! This summer, I will be travelling within Germany and Austria to explore music and sustainable manufacturing. How is this possible?? The Horton Scholarship from University Honors at VT has provided the funding and the excuse to turn to a lot of professors for help. Thank you!

First and foremost, this nontraditional trip makes sense if you know my two majors - Piano Performance and Civil Engineering -  and my favorite movie of all-time - Pocahontas. Through music and a kind heart, Pocahontas paves the way for future environmental policy by driving home the idea of Hey! Let's not destroy something we know nothing about. My master plan is to explore how making pianos has changed to be more environmentally-friendly. With music and the environment in mind, are there honestly any better countries to visit than Germany and Austria? With their great musical history and "green" policies, they are perfect for my trip!

This awesome trip has several exciting purposes, but here's a short overview.

Reasons to Get Excited!

1. This is my first trip overseas! 
2. I know German! Ich spreche Deutsch! Ja! 
3. So far, I will be enjoying concerts at...the Dresden Opera House, Bach Festival, and the Salzburg Festival! 
4. I will be touring the following amazing piano factories: Steinway & Sons (New York and Hamburg), Blüthner, Bösendorfer, Bechstein, and hopefully several more! 
5. I am officially a member of the 2013 Transatlantic Program-Young Technology Leaders (TAP- YTL): Sustainable Manufacturing delegation. Why is this awesome? Check it out in the TAP-YTL tab. What you really need to know is that only TWELVE people from the US were chosen for this program. * "Toot! Toot!," said my own horn. *
6. The Obvious: beer, wine, food, train rides, Mozart's birthplace, the Dresden Frauenkirche, and life reflection. 

I am really excited to share my experiences through this blog! For more live updates, follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/C_Richardss