Since Turrialba, I have been keeping busy with class and friends. This past weekend, I was studying for my first agriculturally-related exam in Spanish (animal production exam) and I think it went really well! Praise the Lord for peace of mind during the exam, I wasn't really nervous at all!! Other than that, let me update you with pictures... since I have to look at them to remember what I have been doing anyway (note: keep travel journal updated).
Photos below are of our most recent lab in my animal production class - we went out to do an analysis of forage content of a horse pasture. We took samples with 0.5 x 0.5 M square and used these samples as reference points (with their mass) to visually grade the pasture (randomly, 30 points) and determine the pasture content. May sound a little complicated, but it was cool - my calculations and visual observations conclude that the pasture was 95% grasses and 5% weeds.
It was my friend, Vanesa's, birthday (she's in the middle) and we celebrated by surprising her with the guys at 2 AM! Vanesa is the only other study abroad student here, she is from Guatemala and studying at University of British Columbia! She has such a beautiful passion for her country and helping those who are less fortunate. Her and another friend, Angie, and I were working on a grant/prize program to fund a potential project in Guatemala that would bring local farmers out of poverty!
Last weekend I also went on a hike with my friends, Gaby and Uziel. We walked around the banana plantation and took the little basket thingy over the river - a location I plan to return to as it is good for swimming!
The organic banana plantation was super cool... but very well protected. See who buys the bananas? WHOLE FOODS! I bought some of these bananas last summer in Colorado! Just so I could say I bought them!
It is a SUPER cool application of Agroforestry (integration of various crops/plants to minimize land use and need for pesticides). Plus, I knew the scientific names of several of the integrated plants (the one on the left there is Cratylia argentea)
We went out while other students had work experience - these kids are applying skills from the tractor driving class they had last semester!
Uziel is from Bolivia and Gaby is from Mexico! New places to visit in the world...
Last weekend, we had a pizza and movie night in one of the classrooms on campus - I had no problem enjoying "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs" in Spanish. It was cool to realize the diversity in the room - 5 friends, 5 countries represented (Mexico, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil). I love this place.
Last weekend, we had a pizza and movie night in one of the classrooms on campus - I had no problem enjoying "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs" in Spanish. It was cool to realize the diversity in the room - 5 friends, 5 countries represented (Mexico, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil). I love this place.
Another cute puppy to end my blog post with - this little guy really does make my day when we go to work with our family in the community. I have named him Mundo ("world" in Spanish) since the family has yet to name him. He comes to me and is even starting to respond to the name! Now all that's left to do is convince them to let me have him/smuggle him back into the states...
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