Well folks,

We traded sweet tea for mate, English for Spanish, busy orbit buses for a shuttle equipped with our own driver, Javier, winter for summer, and the bustling Athens scene for rolling hills and Uruguayan countryside, but one thing that didn’t change is that it feels like home here. Choosing to spend my spring break studying abroad in Uruguay seemed a bit far fetched, even for me, but I do not think there is a place on earth I could have enjoyed more.

My joy has been brought on by a setting of beautiful people with a dazzling culture backdropped by breathtaking landscapes. Meeting farmers of all sorts who practice varying methods has certainly been the most eye opening experience. The people here associated with agriculture and livestock are full of passion for old traditions as well as savvy enough to keep up with an ever changing market. Farmers here are very occupied with creating the best quality of product for the people .

Through this study abroad we have had the pleasure to travel all across southern Uruguay to meet with government agencies, packing plants, dairies, rice mills, sheep farmers, and cattle farmers. Through these encounters, I have been able to go out into a field and learn how these farmers continue a long legacy of farming in their country. From watching how a sheep is artificially inseminated to riding on a combine during rice harvesting I have been able to get an up-close view of Uruguay and it’s impact on the global market.

Until next time,

Katlyn LaVelle