A look back at two study trips by our agricultural engineering students, one to Italy and the other to Spain. These field trips encourage curiosity, develop knowledge and create unique memories for our students.
Recently, two classes of i-SAFE students (Agro, Food & Environmental Engineering) set off to discover Parma and Valencia, two cities that were rich in experiences, learning and good times for our students. On the menu this week: Parmesan cheese, visits with friends, Iberian ham and crazy good memories! Arthur and Amelia, both in their first year, tell us about an anthological week in Parma, while Diego and Charlotte share their memories of their last second-year study trip to Valencia.
Learning abroad ...
The aim of study trips is to learn in a different environment; to discover new agro-industrial systems with your class! For 1ʳᵉ year students, it's an opportunity to make the link with their second-semester courses "Just before we left, we had 3 projects centered on 3 visits we made to Parma: parmesan, prosciutto and wine. My favorite visits were to the Parmesan factory and the vineyard. Both the winemaker and the cheese maker were extremely knowledgeable and eager to share their knowledge with us." Arthur was impressed by the passion and traditions surrounding Italian specialties.
As for the 2ᵉ year students, they had the opportunity to analyze in depth the places they visited, Spain and the Valencia region: "It enabled us to make a good comparison with Parma, which had this gastronomy and terroir orientation," explains Charlotte [...] here, we could see an approach more focused on production than on the environment and local terroirs. For example, when we visited the orange grove and the processing plant next door. "Diego, for his part, was surprised by the evolution of their critical analysis "Our view of the visits has totally changed since the years [...] especially thanks to our courses and experiences during the different semesters."
...under the Mediterranean sun
The study trip is all about work, but it's also about relaxation: a great week of conviviality and discovery in an idyllic setting! "It was great to discover a new city with the school, and I expected to learn a lot from the week," says Arthur. For the 2nd year students, it was also their last trip before leaving each other for six months during the GoLaSalle: their semester of study abroad planned in 3ᵉ year. So it was a precious moment to end two years all together!
"It was the last trip before we all left for different countries," explains Diego, a little sad of course," we learned a lot together, had lots of experiences and we all got closer little by little."
So, what were the highlights of this study trip? Arthur and Amelia loved Parma's vibrant atmosphere, the restaurants, the speakers' passion for their work and the hospitality of the locals! Amelia and her friends had a great time in the city, which she recounts with passion: "We went to a small pizzeria in town (with the best pizzas) but run by 2 Italian men who didn't speak English. Every time we tried to communicate with them, they reacted as if they were offended or annoyed, but they ended up giving us 3 slices of pizza as an appetizer for free."
A typical study trip experience! And for the second years? A little rush of nostalgia took over the class, as Charlotte explains: "On the last day, I realized that I wasn't going to travel like that again with my class and that my next trip with UniLaSalle would be my GoLaSalle which is a little bit weird."
All about the Agro, Food & Environmental Engineering course
An article written by Jules Houplon, engineering student at UniLaSalle Rouen.
