Laci Fuhlage’s study abroad experience taught her about agricultural sustainability, but also navigating new situations.
During her week in Italy over winter break, Fuhlage and other CAFNR students, primarily food sciences majors, traveled to Rome, Tuscany and Florence to explore international agriculture and sustainability. In Italy, the students saw a variety of food processing manufacturers, including a prosciutto and balsamic vinegar cellar, a Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese manufacturer, and local markets and farms.
“We learned about all their sustainability practices from start to finish in the production side, like only using glass bottles and very few preservatives,” said Fuhlage. “Everything they do there is very traditional, and much more small scale than how we do things in the United States.”
Fuhlage and her classmates got to experience Italian food culture at the source, sampling cheese and vinegarettes that had been aged for many years, as most food produced traditionally is not sold on retail shelves immediately. They also learned about some of the social practices surrounding Italian food.
“There was definitely some culture shock when we first got there,” said Fuhlage. “We didn’t know that you have to ask specifically for your check at restaurants, so we sat in one for two hours. They also think if you don’t finish all your food that there was something wrong with it, but once we kind of got into the groove and understood the cultural differences it was all smooth sailing from there.”
Fuhlage received a Gilman Scholarship, which works to prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world by funding their study abroad experience. Through the multi-essay application process, Fuhlage refined her learning goals and interests for her study abroad experience and will complete a service project as part of the scholarship this spring, where she will use what she learned studying abroad to teach 4-H students about international sustainability in agriculture.
Fuhlage would encourage other CAFNR students to apply for the Gilman Scholarship and expand their educational horizons, regardless of what their career goals may be.
“There were a lot of experiences we did in Italy that I wasn’t super comfortable with at first, but once we did it, it was really fun and exciting,” said Fuhlage. “Studying abroad is a great lesson in how to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. In the future when I’m working with students or coworkers, this will be great experience to draw on to share a more well-rounded and globally relevant perspective, no matter where my career takes me.”