Jake Mix
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Jake Mix is an agricultural business senior and Mustang News study abroad columnist.
One of the first lessons I learned abroad is that the sun is a lot stronger in Australia than it is in San Luis Obispo.
Early in our trip we decided to venture out to Glenelg Beach (yes, it’s a palindrome), a local beach that is a 30-minute tram ride from central Adelaide. Glenelg Beach reminds me a lot of Avila Beach; it’s a small town with a lot of places to get food, including fish and chips or even a beer at one of the beachside pubs. It also has a pier that juts out in the center of the beach. But unlike Avila, jumping from the pier into the water is permitted.
When we got to the beach I applied a layer of sunscreen, but then jumped into the water before it had time to sink in. Alas, like the acclaimed Australian boomerang, my premature swim came back to bite me in the butt — or, more accurately, the backs of my thighs. I spent approximately 30 minutes reading on my stomach, which was enough time to give the undersides of my legs a near radioactive red glow that even now — two weeks later — still haunts me.
But being in Australia is not just about a bunch of trips to the beach (although there are a lot of those). Four classes are being offered: Global Marketing and Trade (AGB 318), Managing Cultural Diversity in Agricultural Labor Relations (AGB 401), Native American Cultural Images (ES 321) and Ethnicity and the Land (ES 360). All the Cal Poly students in the program are enrolled in just three of these classes, so the workload isn’t overwhelming and gives us a lot of time to experience everything Australia has to offer.
So far the teachers, agricultural business professor Wayne Howard and ethnic studies associate professor Kate Martin, have done a fantastic job balancing time in the classroom and taking field trips around the area. During second class period for Ethnicity and the Land (ES 360), we had the opportunity to walk over to the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide for a guided tour. It presented us with the chance to learn about Australian plants and familiarize ourselves with the ecology of the area. Using class time this way felt extremely rewarding and different from a lot of the classes I’ve taken in San Luis Obispo.
Another interesting field trip we took was a full day of winery tours and tasting in the McLaren Vale wine region. I’m sure you’re wondering, “Why do they get to go wine tasting?” A lot of us here are agricultural business and wine and viticulture students, so it gives us an opportunity to learn as much as we can about the Australian wine industry.
The morning started out with a chartered bus picking us up and taking us on a 30-minute drive to our first winery of the day, Rosemount. There, we were given neon yellow safety vests and hard hats before the tour commenced.
We were led around the facility and saw the machinery used in the process of winemaking. At one point, we were taken to the top of a structure where we got to enjoy the spectacular view of the Rosemount Vineyard and the surrounding McLaren Vale area. After taking a tour of the facility, we tasted a couple of the wines, including a cabernet sauvignon and a shiraz, while our guide educated us about the Australian wine industry and a gave us chance to ask questions.
After Rosemount, we made our way to Chapel Hill Winery — aptly named, since it’s a converted chapel that sits on the top of a hill. We had another chance here to taste a couple wines while we ate lunch, and once again listened to a representative talk about the winery.
The next winery we visited was Mollydooker, the name of which is slang for a left-handed boxer. This tour was similar to the first one, but with a couple differences. We got a chance to go out into the vineyard and check out the grapes on the vines, and our guides gave us the opportunity to sample some wines straight out of the stainless steel tanks, which was a unique experience with an equally unique taste. We also learned the Mollydooker shake, which — to my parents’ dismay — is not an Australian dance craze, but a way of shaking the Mollydooker wines to release nitrogen in the wine that opens up its flavors.
The fourth and final winery we saw was Coriole Vineyards, which also specializes in olive oil. Most of us were relieved when we weren’t offered any wine here, because the other wineries may have been a little generous with theirs. Instead, we took shots of olive oil.
Other than the frequent field trips, we have also had guest lecturers come speak to us about various topics, including aboriginal culture, Australian politics and my personal favorite so far: Australian slang. The last lecture gave us a chance to try out our terrible Australian accents (G’day, mates!).
Though classes are underway, there is still a lot to look forward to, including a trip to Kangaroo Island, located approximately 20 kilometers off the coast. I’m eagerly awaiting the trip because we’re bound to see some kangaroos and koalas.