Hi all! My name is Sydney Lang and my global theme is Resources and Sustainability. For my Out of The Classroom Experience I spent my fall semester working at the PEAS Farm. The PEAS Farm is an educational farm nestled in the rattlesnake. The farm has 5 full time staff members and the rest of the help comes from interns on the farm who are students at the University of Montana. The food that we grow goes to many different programs in Missoula. Some of the food grown goes back to community members through a Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA) where community members invest money in the farm and in turn they get many weeks worth of fresh, sustainably grown goods! The other food we grow goes to the Missoula Food Bank.

The PEAS Farm grows many different kinds of foods! Some of my favorites from my time there were the fresh corn, garlic and carrots. Though we got the chance to eat a lot of local foods, the farm was about a lot more than that. On the farm one of the main things we focused on was how food production is such a key component to sustainability. We learned many different sustainable practices such as cover crops, seed saving and composting.

            I spent every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at the farm doing a variety of different tasks. Some days we would harvest foods, other days we would prepare food for storage or for the CSA members. As time went on at the farm, my appreciation for local agriculture grew quickly. My eyes were opened to an avenue of sustainability that I hadn’t considered much before. I found my time at the farm to be very grounding. I felt connected to our earth in a new way. I understood food from a whole new lens. I even grew a new appreciation for manure after spending two weeks spreading it on all of the fields!

            This year I have been working on my capstone project for GLI which connects directly into my time at the farm. Our group is working on understanding how to make a local food system sustainable, resilient and accessible. It has been a wonderful experience to go straight from getting my hands dirty in the field to working on connecting with other local farmers for my capstone to understand the importance of local foods at an even deeper level. Through my time getting educated on the farm, I feel more equipped to encourage others and myself to be stewards of the earth. I feel so thankful for this experience and how it has burst open the doors in my world view of sustainability. I now know that great things can be grown with my own two hands!

By Kyra Searcy

The opportunity to explore land use and perspectives in Montana through GLI happened to be through the intensive field course which gave me a minor in Wilderness Studies. This course occurred primarily during fall 2017 in the form of field trips between 1 and 10 days long, with a winter session art class, as well as an internship in a local water education organization, lecture series, and 4 day river course on the upper Missouri in the spring of 2018. This section of river is designated as wild and scenic, which nicely tied up the loose ends in understanding how land agencies manage across ownerships and policy changes. Throughout the year, our group was asked what we wanted to learn, and my classes were formed around those areas of focus. It gave us the chance to truly dive into things we cared about and ignore topics which we have already covered in other classes.

Discussing Fire Regimes and interactions with homes/ people with Dave Campbell

My global theme is Natural Resources and Sustainability. The challenge was looking at resource management across land ownership in culturally rich places within Montana. Through my fall semester classes I was able to study these connections between historical land use to modern day land use through the lenses of ecology, policy, literature, art and discussion with leaders. We had amazing guest lecturers as well as professors who were experts in their fields. When we weren’t on campus, we traveled to a mine in Libby, a restoration site in the Mission Mountains Wilderness, a working ranch with conservation easements in Square Butte, the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Study Area, the Yaak Valley Forest Council, a working homestead, and the CSKT Government. They worked to connect the dots between disciplines so that we were able to address large multifaceted issues that land managers face today in Montana.

The Turek Ranch and Conservation Easement, Square Butte Montana

One of the most interesting and important perspectives that we looked at while on our field studies were those of Native People in Montana. Tribes have a deep understanding of the ecology and history of the lands that white settlers such as myself have only the slightest knowledge of. These traditional and ecological understandings of place have informed my own value of establishing yourself in a location and truly learning about it before making decisions that will affect it. We live in an age where communication across a nation can happen in minutes, and a decision that is made in a faraway capital can in turn influence other nations decisions on land management. Because these discussions can happen so quickly between people very far away, place-based decision making can sometimes be less informed and more catered towards whatever interests’ get the ear of a politician. I never knew how difficult it is to lobby for an endangered species or to change policy in the Forest Service Manual. These changes are slow, while decisions higher up can happen quickly and completely alter the future of a place. My classmates and I felt strongly about supporting indigenous communities so we attended the Rally for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante Monuments in protest of President Trump’s decision to minimize and remove protections. After learning about large societal issues we wanted to actually act on one. This was one of the most powerful moments of my beyond the classroom experience by far. To be in the presence of various Tribal Elders coming together for the first time to protest the continuous neglect and assault of corporate and governmental interests on their sacred lands was something I will never forget. While we focused on small communities of native tribes, loggers, ranchers, miners, and wilderness rangers in Montana, I was simultaneously thinking about small groups across the world struggling to make decisions that benefit their local community while also benefiting the global one. I found it ironic that in an age of increased access to communication, we aren’t getting the word out about some of the issues in the wildest of habitats in Montana. It made me want to focus more on collaboration between agencies, organizations, local people and foundations which have ties to politics. We were able to see some collaborative groups and understand their struggles and triumphs which seemed really optimistic in the current political climate for land management. The most valuable thing that we can do in a time as tricky as this is to work together and draw upon our diversity of perspectives and understanding to make decisions that influence a generation of land stewards who are connected to the land and confident on their role in it. I am truly grateful to take all of these points with me into my career as a Conservationist.

by Ben McAuliffe

Climbing Table Mountain in South Africa, Caving in Lesotho, getting our truck stuck in sand in Namibia and being charged by a hippo in Botswana are just a few of my favorite memories from my time abroad. I was lucky enough to spend the past semester in Botswana, attending the University of Botswana. It is an experience that I am still processing that changed the way I see the world. I was thrown into a new place, a new culture and due to a problem with flights I had absolutely no orientation. It was the biggest culture shock I have ever felt, but it was the biggest confidence builder when I started to find my way around and figure everything out. Everything from personal space to the food was different from what I am used to and it made me grateful for the little convinces I have in the United States.

The differences were what made my study abroad so amazing. It allowed for little victories along the way. From being able to order my food in Setswana or finding what Kombi (A type of buss that drives throughout the city) would take me to the mall I wanted to go to. Every day was filled with little challenges, little victories and plenty of failures that shaped my study abroad experience into the rewarding experience that it was. Even after all the frustration and all the challenges I would never change my time abroad. I met amazing people and I saw some of the most beautiful landscapes this world has to offer and I am thankful for every second of it.

In school I was lucky enough to be able to work with different groups of local students. This was a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I was able to meet new people and make friends with local students. It was a curse because sometimes my group members could not understand me or I could not understand them and the local students and I have very different ideas of time management which led to conflict among the group. This was a great opportunity for me to enhance my leadership skills, I had to learn how to work with people from different cultures and at times with people who did not speak the same language as me. It was a challenge but in the end, it was a great experience that allowed me to build my skills as a team member and a team leader.

I am still thinking through my time in Botswana and returning to everyday life after such an exciting few months has been difficult at times. But it was completely worth it. If I could give someone who is thinking about studying abroad one piece of advice it would be to go for it. It’s not going to be easy and you will have challenges along the way. But you will miss it when you get back and you will be telling people stories about that time you studied abroad for months after you time abroad.

This spring I studied abroad in Cork, Ireland. I lived in the city and attended UCC Cork. My experience was, in a world, incredible. Having been born and raised in Montana, I was completely unprepared for living in an urban city halfway across the world. Still, studying abroad was the one thing that I absolutely wanted to do in college, and I am extremely grateful that it was possible. As part of the GLI program, I have a unique theme and challenge that I wanted to research. My goal was to examine how international policy programs can effectively fuel environmental protection efforts.

Cork is fortunate enough to be one of the multicultural towns in Ireland. I was able to meet and become friends with several French, Italian, Spanish, and (of course) Irish students over the course of the semester. I was also been fortunate enough to travel across Europe at various points throughout the semester, which has helped me discover just how diverse and complex the world is. I’ve had conversations with my Portuguese roommate about the refugee crisis, witnessed a march against Brexit in London, and was part of a rally for science outside the Pantheon in Italy. More than anything, during my time abroad I’ve been made aware of how little I really know about the world. I’m forced to wonder how to best spur international cooperation on the issue of climate change. The problem doesn’t have an easy answer. However, I don’t believe it is impossible to solve the problem. There are a variety of small steps many countries have taken to work towards lessening carbon emissions. One of the major bus companies in Germany, for example, gives customers the option to pay a small amount more to purchase a carbon-offset for their bus trip. The extra money will go towards funding programs in Germany or developing countries that promote more sustainable business practices.

I also took the time to do some independent research and observations on climate change and environmental efforts in Europe, as was a part of my goal when originally coming here. Ireland has several areas where policies and regulations produce excellent energy results. Recycling is more prominent in Ireland than America, for example. Regarding my challenge, I’ve realized how difficult it is to communicate the causes and effects of climate change. Raised in suburban Montana, I took it for granted that people were at least aware that greenhouse gas emissions are a long-term problem. Since travelling, I’ve realized that this is not always the case. We should take greater efforts to not only combat the problem, but also to improve general awareness of the issue. In the U.S. especially, recent discussions over current political actions and environmental leadership have convinced me that there is a need for action. We will need political support in order to make any meaningful progress in slowing human-caused climate change. The European Union has enacted programs such as the Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme in an effort to reduce overall emissions without damaging the European economy. Norway, as well, has contributed substantially to REDD, a program designed to reduce emissions from deforestation. I believe that we in the US can emulate these political actions. However, in the current political economy, it will take substantial pressure from grassroots organizations and corporations to progress towards meaningful change. I feel that as a result of having studied abroad and talking to so many different people I am more ready to take action in local and national efforts. We have many challenges to tackle, but taking action begins with efforts as simple as having conversations about the topic.

I feel that my time spent abroad helped to widen my view of the world. I remain amazed at the many achievements so many people I met abroad have met. I spoke to one man who was hitchhiking across Europe so that he could teach in Iran. I saw pictures of a mural one refugee painted after years spent seeking a new home in Scotland. And I hope that I can achieve a fraction of what these incredible individuals have done.
Thanks for reading.
Kurt Swimley

By: Ciara Gorman

(Posted September 16th, 2015)

My time in Nicaragua came to an end and it was time to travel home. Saying goodbye to all of the wonderful friends I had made was tough but I was ready to see my family! Little did I know that the first week home would be a huge adjustment. I wasn’t used to running water during the day and certainly wasn’t used to the weather that felt like I was going to freeze. I often looked around throughout that week and realized how much I took advantage of simple things that really are luxuries. I wasn’t used to the paved roads, the urgency everyone around me had or the use of electronics that truly dominates our way of living in the United States. I cannot speak for other countries because I do not live there but I know that most Americans could benefit from a type of service trip in a place that is very different from our way of living. I say this and am hesitant though because third world countries do not exist for others to pity on and give charity to. Never in my life have I seen neighborhoods and communities like the ones I did in Masaya, Nicaragua. The people were so supportive of one another and truly were friends to not only one another but to visitors like myself. From the young children to the elderly ladies that got together at dusk, every person I had the chance to meet and converse with made me feel like an old friend. I think what I was trying to say earlier is that most people in today’s world are so comfortable in their setting that they do not realize the potential that is out there for personal growth and new experiences.

The medical aspect of the trip was incredible as well and I was lucky to be with a group that had similar goals and career interests that I did. I didn’t know a single person on this trip with the exception of looking on Facebook! I loved meeting people from across the country who wanted to learn and make a difference each and every day and am lucky to call many of them my friends today. As much as I felt like I helped our patients, I don’t think they realize how much they helped me in return. This was my first opportunity taking patient histories and performing physical exams with a team. I realized the importance of not only asking the right questions, but also performing a thorough exam so we didn’t miss anything when the doctor came to us. Educating our patients on hygiene, diet and answering their questions was one of our strongest tools as well. The opportunity to see conditions and diseases not typical to the US was unique and my first experience conversing in Spanish with patients was so cool!

The best way to understand a culture is to fully immerse yourself in it and I will repeat that until my last day on Earth. This trip was an experience of a lifetime and I cannot express how grateful I am for the opportunity. Traveling to a country I’ve never been to, speaking a language I wasn’t confident about and eating food I normally would not are things I would highly recommend to anyone. Getting out of my comfort zone was one of the best life decisions I have ever made and the friendships, memories and clinical experiences I gained are only proof of that. I want to thank Vida Volunteer for coordinating our trip and to GLI for helping make my experience possible. Pura Vida!

“Only a life lived in the service of others is worth living.” -Albert Einstein

By: Ciara Gorman

(Posted September 8th, 2015)

Day 7 of our trip was the turning point for me in our clinics. During our clinic orientation, Dr. Pinto had taught us about common illnesses and diseases we would frequently see throughout the next couple weeks and mentioned to us that prevention education was one of our most powerful tools to help people. By now, I felt confident in taking patient history (mostly in Spanish by now!) and performing physical exams. I was not prepared however for the emotional toll seeing some of these patients had on me though. Experiencing some of the living conditions our patients had and the surrounding communities really opened my eyes to why some people were sick! It was a common practice to burn garbage in these areas, but, often times they were open fires in backyards or right next to the homes. We would frequently see children with severe allergy symptoms and respiratory issues in our clinics and I would tell the parents that their smoke from burning garbage was a likely cause.

A common illness we saw was Chikungunya. This was a viral disease passed to humans from mosquitos and resulted in rashes, fever, joint pain that could last anywhere from a couple weeks to several months. It was interesting to see an illness not common in the US frequently in another country and reminded me of the importance of constantly studying and staying on top of illnesses whether they are common to your area or not. I learned the vital importance of a thorough physical exam when a young girl complained of common cold symptoms like a sore throat, fever, and body aches. The minute I asked her to open her mouth so I could look inside I was shocked. She had the most swollen tonsils I had ever seen and we classified them as stage III tonsillar hypertrophy, meaning they were almost completely obstructive to her throat. Thankfully we gave her an immediate referral to the hospital to get them taken out. If we hadn’t looked in her throat, we probably would have diagnosed as a common cold and just prescribed acetaminophen!

Thankfully our long days were also followed up with relaxing evenings exploring the cities we visited. In Masaya, we visited their famous outdoor mercados (markets) and shopped for souvenirs and even found hammocks a couple of us bought! I had my first smoothie with guayaba and pitaya! They were some funky looking fruits but they tasted awesome. All of the fresh fruit we’ve never heard of but got to try everyday was definitely one of my favorite parts of Nicaragua. I never found one I didn’t like!

exchanging money at the Nicaraguan border!

The best smoothie i’ll ever have!

Guayaba!

Pitaya aka dragonfruit!

By: Ciara Gorman
(from September 3rd, 2015)
We had out second clinic day in the community of Carmen del Parque. I was particularly interesting in learning about both Costa Rica and Nicaragua’s healthcare systems and made it a point to find out more today. Costa Rica has a universal healthcare system and is regarded as some of the best in Latin America. Often times, we saw patients whose family worked in some sect of the government so they had the opportunity for a privatized plan. Many people from other countries try and move solely for the healthcare benefits, referred to as seguro social, and job opportunities. However, it was apparent that if you were from another country besides Costa Rica, you most likely did not have healthcare access and consequently were patients we saw in our trip. This community had cobblestone streets and the houses were colorful with children playing everywhere. Children who had school that day were dressed in white pressed collared shirts and navy bottoms with black shoes. They took such pride in their school attire and made sure to not get dirty by playing with the younger kids before they left!

In the afternoon, we headed back to where our vet team was located and had ice cream for the first time! It was an interesting experience but it was so hot outside that day that no one really noticed the differences in flavor and texture. We played a pickup soccer game with the kids around that neighborhood while we waited for the vets to finish up. This is hands down one of my favorite memories of the trip! I started to juggle with a couple of the kids with my scrubs and stethoscope still on and they just stared at me. For one, I was a girl playing with a soccer ball. Two, my Spanish was still a work in progress at this point so we had a little bit of a language barrier. A couple of the young boys really stood out to me, however. One was named Juan Carlos and we ended up scoring goals and winning the game together. The other guy I called Real Madrid because of the jersey he had on. They both were phenomenal soccer players and were only 12 years old! We left the community a little sad that day but I know one day I will hear about a famous Costa Rican soccer player named Juan Carlos and smile.

We had an off day so we traveled to the city of La Fortuna and checked in to our next hotel. We ended up visiting this beautiful hot springs resort for the afternoon and it was our first chance to really see the country as tourists. What I was shocked by was the hospitality and friendliness every Costa Rican showed us! We stayed at Villas Vistas Arenal overlooking a volcano for the night before our all day bus trip to Nicaragua that following morning.

Thank you Costa Rica for everything you taught me, I will be back for you someday!