Growing up, my family always traveled a lot to visit family over holidays, special occasions, and just to get out of town. This really influenced me to be more open to take advantage of unique opportunities as they came up. When I decided to come to school at the University of Wyoming and to study Animal and Veterinary Sciences with the hopes of continuing on to veterinary school, I was slightly discouraged by the people who told me that I would have to study endlessly and work harder than ever to achieve my goals. While I did have to study hard, and work hard, I found that I was still able and encouraged to take advantage of opportunities that would help me grow as a person. I also learned that one of the most important things I could do for myself was still make time to do things that I was interested in. For me, this meant taking classes outside my major, balancing work and school to have time to spend with friends, and finally, taking a trip to Scotland with the College of Ag.
Over June of 2019, I was able to travel with 11 other University of Wyoming Students to Scotland to participate in a faculty led study abroad titled “Scottish Rural Spaces: From Ancient Forests to Modern Food Systems”. For 23 days, we traveled around the country of Scotland to learn about their agriculture, history, and visit some amazing sites. We toured castles, walked through fields of potatoes, kale, and barley, and saw some pretty cool sites. Walking along beaches, climbing hills, and roaming the streets of Edinburgh are things I will never forget. Of course, we cannot forget the food. We tried haggis, had wonderful breakfasts everywhere we went, and got to explore differences in the food systems. We also got to take in the best of Scotland’s rural life and attend the Royal Highland Show where my love of Highland cattle was fully satisfied. We met so many cool people and I made 11 pretty awesome new friends.
The college of Ag has so many amazing professors and so many amazing opportunities such as this one. It was so cool to me to be able to embark on a trip with a group of people who all had different majors, interests, and passions in life. It really challenged me to think of history, or read a piece of literature a little differently. I had an amazing time in Scotland, and I am constantly dreaming of going back someday to visit again. Reflecting on all of this, I can’t help but realize how wonderful it is to be a part of the College of Ag. The relationships, opportunities, and adventures I have been able to embark on have helped shape me as a person and help me ultimately reach my goals.
-Callie Klinghagen