Well, the last six weeks went by quickly, but it’s been a wonderful experience getting to spend my summer working on a farm in Italy. I’ve gained a ton of first-hand knowledge about planting and growing vegetables, independent research projects, and travelling by myself. I hope the practical farming skills I’ve gained here will stick with me and prove useful in the future, but I think the most valuable part of this summer for me was experienced on a more personal level. When I first arrived at the farm I was the only one working in the garden, shy and nervous about asking questions or messing something up. Eventually I settled into a routine, asked to be included in the decision making processes of managing the garden, and finally got people to save their 1.5 L plastic bottles for my experiment.

I’ve figured out that in most situations, you don’t just get everything you need handed to you. Being assertive is something I sometimes struggle with, but over the course of my time at the farm I’ve learned how much of an ability I have to get what I want out of any experience. The opportunity to travel by myself has also been incredibly rewarding. There’s something about navigating multiple trains and buses in a foreign country and actually managing to get where you’re trying to go that can make you feel quite independent and satisfied with yourself. To my pleasant surprise, I made it back home without any bumps along the way – I didn’t miss any of my flights and none were delayed! I’m so thankful for my internship experience this summer and I’m excited to finish up the ag science major and make the most of senior year. Back to Ithaca in less than a week!