I have a great respect for and interest in different ways of managing our economies and societies for more sustainable outcomes - like Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness.   I applied for the WWF Global Youth Volunteer Programme when I was studying for my Masters in London.  Environmental economics and happiness economics actually have a lot of common ground, and it was while studying these links that I knew I had to go to Bhutan to find out what the rest of the world could learn about sustainability from this little country. 
 
Being a South African, the challenge of how to link environmental sustainability with development aspirations is close to my heart.  It is a challenge that will require new ways of thinking, new tools, and new development paths.  This internship was an invaluable time for me to explore some of these issues.