Guanajuato: The Most Beautiful and Unique Town in Mexico

Hello! My name is Haley England and I am a Junior at Penn State majoring in Ag. Sciences. During my Sophomore year over 2017 spring break, I was able to study abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico. This study abroad trip will always be one of the highlights of my college career, and just a highlight of my life in general!

I attended this trip with fellow PSU students, agriculture professors, and Samuel Hayes. This trip was possible for us thanks to Former Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, Samuel Hayes. Thanks to him, we were able to experience agriculture practices in a different country. His important connections and knowledge gave us an amazing opportunity of a lifetime.

Prior to our trip, we learned about Mexico's culture, history, people, and agriculture practices to prepare us. However, learning about Mexico and visiting Mexico were two completely different experiences. Just being in the middle of a cactus plantation instead of a corn field in Central PA really gave me self-awareness that there is so much in the world that I do not know about, especially agriculture wise. One of my favored experiences in Mexico was eating authentic Mexican meals. I loved every meal I tried from spicy pork for breakfast to cactus for dinner!

From this trip I gained many personal skills that I could not have gained otherwise. I learned how to work through language and culture barriers. I would like to pursue a career in the dairy industry and find this to be a very valuable asset to my future plans. I would tell a potential employer that I believe communication is key. Without communication, I wouldn't have been able to gain friendship, education or professional experience- all other skills I gained while on this trip.

During my time in Guanajuato I experienced many "firsts"; my first time visiting a fight bull ranch, my first time traveling outside of the United States, my first time at a silver mine and so much more! If you love first time experiences, then I highly recommend this trip and just studying abroad in general. It will be a trip you'll never forget. Step outside of your comfort zone and experience the world!