la tierra de leche y miel
“If you could go back and start over, knowing what you know now, would you choose Zamorano?”
I’ve asked the same question to several students as we discussed work in the various plants, laughed about their good experiences, and sighed at their bad ones. It might be easy to believe, given some of the stories the students tell about this place, that many would be disgruntled with the university and ready to escape to their jobs and lives of relative freedom- a sentiment I encounter frequently in the US. Yet, I have not once heard a response to my question that deviated from a resounding “yes”.
Quite contrary, many of the fourth-year students, who only have a single trimester remaining between now and graduation, told their stories with a tone of sadness that their time here will soon be over. It’s not that they aren’t excited to start their careers, either- many spoke enthusiastically and confidently about their plans after graduation- but that they look back on all the experiences here, good and bad, with a sense of nostalgia, familiarity, and fraternity. In fact, the most common reason cited for enjoying Zamorano was the friends made here. Even for me, a total stranger, it’s easy to understand why. From leaving the dorm in the morning to returning in the evening, you feel connected to the people around you. I found myself struggling to keep up with the various greetings- use “provecho” in the dining hall, for instance- because each time you pass a person, they greet you. (And vice versa when I’m coordinated enough to do so). There’s no small value in living, eating, working, studying, and playing alongside the same people for four years. Still, I can’t help but believe that the brotherhood here runs even deeper than simply doing the same things with the same people, given the strength of this community. The students here have formed connections and shared experiences that will last them a lifetime.
On the topic of experience, and specifically work experience, this university also has left a strong impression on its charges. The university’s reputation precedes its alumni when it comes to agricultural expertise. I don’t find that a bit surprising after spending time in the plants here and speaking with the students about both those experiences and their courses. By the time they graduate, each student will have worked in every plant and production facility on campus at least once, and acted as a supervisor of the younger students during their final year here. They are incredibly knowledgeable on the nature of not only their chosen path, but in all aspects of agriculture. Even those that are not particularly popular among students, such as the postharvest processing plant we worked in today, play an important role in their understanding of the food chain.
It would appear that those who know Zamorano know that the name carries significant value in the world of agriculture. Given my experiences here, I can’t help but agree.
