By Lily Rutherford
Along with the 23 other students in her program, Ellen Black took the opportunity to further her studies internationally while exploring Greece.
Black is a junior studying animal science. The UTK Greece: Food, Culture, & Sustainability program ran over the Winter -Term this past January, and offered students the opportunity to get involved in cooking lessons, food tastings, visit various agricultural centers, and engage with Greek history and culture.
When asked about why she initially wanted to study abroad, Black emphasized a longstanding curiosity about cultures around the world.
“I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone and experience a different culture firsthand. I’ve always been interested in how people live and work in other parts of the world, and I felt that studying abroad would give me a deeper understanding than just traveling. It also aligns with my goals of developing better communication skills and gaining a more global perspective, which I think is really valuable in my field.”
Some of Black’s favorite aspects of Greece included the abundant hospitality, genuineness, and inclusivity of locals.
“I was really struck by how welcoming and genuine people were, even toward strangers. People took the time to connect, have conversations, and make you feel included, which made the experience feel much more personal. The level of hospitality really stood out to me and made me appreciate the importance of community and relationships in everyday life.”
As is common among many study abroad programs, this one had its share of unexpected learning experiences.
When many people think of Greece, some of the first things to come to mind are beaches, Mediterranean food, or even the Greek gods. Naturally, after traveling there and experiencing the country firsthand, many people realize that Greek culture encompasses things they’d never even known about.
“One thing I didn’t expect to learn was how much biblical history is connected to Greece. It added a whole new perspective and made the experience more meaningful than I initially expected.”
Study abroad programs centered around agriculture especially, find innovative ways to help students understand that they have a wide range of career opportunities available to them. As with this program, participants were allowed to experiment with different areas of animal science and agriculture.
“This program really expanded my perspective by connecting food and culture to what I’m learning. Being in Greece, I was able to see how food production, agriculture, and local traditions all tie together, from farm to table. It helped me understand that animal science isn’t just about production, but also about how food fits into different cultures and communities.”
Black added that participating in this program allowed her to see the bigger picture in her studies – better connecting concepts like sustainability, food systems, and consumer preferences to the knowledge she already had.
As she shared, traveling took experiences like reading a textbook and turned them into real, tangible concepts in front of her. Along with the development of skills like adaptability, communication, and critical thinking, studying abroad on this program created a learning experience like no other.
In the words of Black, “I would absolutely consider studying abroad again after this experience. It was such a valuable opportunity for both my personal and academic growth. If I weren’t graduating in the spring, I would definitely look into doing another program. I think I would be open to going somewhere new to experience a different culture, but I would also love to return to Greece because of how much I enjoyed my time there.”
Interested in study abroad? Learn more about how you can grow global through similar programs here!