While abroad in Uruguay for the International Agribusiness in Diversified Livestock and Grain Production program, I rode a horse for the first time! I got the opportunity while visiting one of the various family farms we visited throughout the program. The family farm where I got on and rode my first horse was El Paraiso farm (The Paradise) in Trienta y Tres. This family farm operated a cow-calf system while managing various agricultural crops such as rice and soybeans. As soon as we arrived, I felt the excitement awaiting us when I saw the horses. Initially, our program host told us we were not going to be able to ride the horses like the students from previous years because of the economic difficulties the farm was experiencing during the pandemic and the ongoing drought they were experiencing. However, when the owner told us it was fine to ride the horses, I became so excited when I realized I was going to ride a horse for the first time in a foreign country. It was a special first-time experience as I rode through their wide farm landscape because it connected me to my Mexican cultural background. As I rode the horse, the fresh breeze took over the heat and I was engulfed by the pleasure of sharing their farming lifestyle on horseback. During this visit, I also saw and learned about the resilience needed to successfully run a large family farm. The family experienced a few financial hardships during the pandemic but were able to overcome them given their family unity and commitment to the operation. Overall, the visit was one of my favorite cultural experiences during the trip because I was able to get insight into the beautiful parts of their daily operation while also learning about the resilience that it takes to successfully run it. Since then, I have done my best to enjoy the beautiful things of hard work and resilience to live life a little fuller.
