New Beginnings

Well we are back in the saddle again as they say.  This school year has started off with a vengeance it seems compared to my leisurely summer.  Oh what I wouldn't give to return to the Amazon Rainforest for some rest, relaxation, and wildlife viewing. 

                I had the most amazing opportunity this past summer to participate in a study abroad course focused on broadening global understanding and comparing agricultural industry between the United States and Brazil.  As a part of this trip we were able to visit Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil, Menaus, located in the Amazon Rainforest, and Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city.  We saw everything from industrial cattle operations to the increasing importance of biotechnology in the agricultural field. 

                My major is Natural Resource Conservation within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.  Knowing that, can you guess which was my favorite city to visit?  You can bet that Menaus was the most amazing experience of my life.  While in Menaus we were able to witness firsthand the Brazilian culture side-by-side with the indigenous cultures.   We toured the Amazon through a boat tour that allowed us to go fishing for piranhas, eat piranha, and swim with pink river dolphins.  

If you do not know what a pink river  

dolphin is, please enjoy the picture below.

These creatures are both beautiful and creepy at the same time because they do not have that cute bottle-nose dolphin look, but rather the jagged edged saw look. We were also able to hold a sloth, caiman, and anaconda, and we even saw the meeting, aka where the Amazon River began. 

Whom do I have to thank for this amazing trip?  I thank your very own College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.  I lived the best day to date of my life in Brazil this summer thanks to the opportunities that my college and yours afforded me.  And even though this semester may not be as jam-packed as my summer, I cannot wait for the opportunities in store.  Don’t you know that once summer ends my favorite season of the year begins? No I don’t mean fall, I mean GATOR FOOTBALL!

But on a more serious note, my adventures this semester are way scarier than swimming in piranha infested waters.  I find myself making decisions that can define the next few years, and by extension, the rest of my life.  My grad school applications have my head swimming with thinking of new ways to sell myself to strangers that control my next step in life.  Luckily, I have experiences like my time in Brazil to reflect upon when I find myself in over my head. 

                And to think, this is only the beginning!

Go Gators!

Michele Goodfellow

Michele Goodfellow
Class: Senior
Hometown: DeLand, FL
Majors: Natural Resource Conservation and Spanish
Minor: Agricultural Communications
Involvement: Collegiate FFA President, Sigma Kappa Sorority, SAF, Forestry Club
Hobbies: Reading, traveling, water sports
After College: Plans to teach English in Latin America for a year before pursuing higher education