Today was our last day at AFS in Thessaloniki. We began the day with a lecture about livestock production in Greece and we were floored at some of the things we learned. One was that the majority of their cattle are imported from the U.S. as calves; another interesting point was that 30 years ago, Greece was producing "too much" milk (according to the EU) and all member states were given a quota. However, now the quota is lifted and Greece is under-producing, importing most milk powder to create milk and cheese.
Next, we went to a wine tasting here at the farm. The winery produces 3,000-4,000 bottles per year, which is not enough to get it on the supermarket shelves. We were taught how to see, smell, and taste the wine. The first wine was described as "woody" and was not the crowd favorite. The second, a red, was full-bodied and had notes of plum and dried tomato. We learned about the different grape varieties the farm produces and how those go into the wine making process.
This afternoon we had a dancing lesson with a group of interns here for the summer. Although the room was sweltering (pretty sure it reached 90 degrees today), it was so much fun!
The teacher was sweet and told Kylee she has the feet of a Greek dancer, or something like that. It makes sense for her, as she has danced for nearly the whole 18 years of her life!
Finally, we ended the night visiting with the Dean, who is also married to the President of the American Farm School. She was incredibly intelligent, cultured, and kind. Also, American! She has lived in Greece for 30 years with her husband. She talked to us about the differences in cultures, and how there are weak and strong points within each one, and it's important to recognize our own strengths and weaknesses as Americans and global citizens.
Tomorrow morning we leave for Meteora, a monastery village where we will also stay tomorrow night. I have enjoyed getting to know some people from Greece and learning about their culture. Most of all I am so glad I have been able to spend time with some of the best and the brightest from the University of Arkansas. It was definitely a wonderful first international experience.
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Read more from these students at http://bumpersingreece.weebly.com/
Find our more about the U of A Faculty-Led: Food, Agriculture and Sustainability in Greece program at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/aggreece
Read more from these students at http://bumpersingreece.weebly.com/
Find our more about the U of A Faculty-Led: Food, Agriculture and Sustainability in Greece program at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/aggreece
