The best part about being able to go on this study abroad was the wide variety of sights I had the blessing to see. These topics covered everything from orchids to foie gras to angora production. Because of the diversity of agricultural systems discussed, many of my top moments on this trip occurred during class time, where I could interact with local farmers and learn about what made them so passionate about the field. All of these trips and encounters left a mark, but some stood out from the pack.
Early in the trip, we were given the opportunity to learn how to cook some French dishes. While I had never been super gifted in the kitchen, I was able to make some pretty amazing food including a roasted duck fillet with tomato caviar and a dark chocolate Inaya tart with morello cherry sauce. Savoureux! Another memorable trip involved waking up very early and riding for three hours on a bus. It might sound awful, but the reward for our patience was well worth it. We arrived in the foothills of the Pyrenees and got to see how sheep were herded throughout the many small fields. The highlight of this day trip was being able to see how the sheep dog could tell the difference between dozens of whistles and successfully move the hundreds of sheep.
Just looking at the pictures makes me wish our study abroad wasn’t over!
