Liberty Cooper, Plus3 The Netherlands Summer 2024
My study abroad experience definitely impacted me academically, personally, and professionally. My Plus3 the Netherlands trip was a two-week program in a large group (as you can see in the picture below) with planned cultural and company visits each day, so it was a perfect opportunity to discover whether or not I would like to complete a full semester abroad. Now that I have had a little taste of the study abroad experience, I am fairly confident in saying that I would love to do a semester abroad. I learned a lot about business, sustainability, and life in the Netherlands on this relatively short trip, so I think there is a lot to gain from studying while also being fully immersed in another culture. I have also decided to pursue a minor in French, so a new academic goal of mine is definitely to study abroad in France.
During my stay in the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, I attended a presentation from a company called Floating Farm. This company’s main goal is to find a way to make dairy farming (and, in the future, other kinds of farming) sustainable. In general, the Dutch are very committed to making their lifestyles sustainable. For example, they minimize their use of wasteful single-use plastics by using wooden disposable utensils only when necessary. I genuinely cannot remember seeing a single plastic fork or spoon the entire time I was in the Netherlands. Furthermore, they limit their use of energy by using bicycles and public transportation far more than they use personal cars. And, when they must use energy, there are windmills all over the countryside to supply it in a renewable, environmentally friendly manner. Therefore, the Dutch prioritize sustainable lifestyles, and they’re always looking for ways to lessen their negative impacts on the Earth, which is exactly what the Floating Farm does. During our visit, a man who worked for the Floating Farm told us about the inspiration for the company and how it works. Beyond the fact that it is fully floating, there are some other aspects of the farm that are really cool. For one, it is a circular farm. All of their inputs come from the same city that they sell milk to, Rotterdam. Floating Farm feeds their cows beer stock from local breweries, grass from Rotterdam’s largest soccer club, and wasted produce from nearby grocery stores. By sourcing raw materials from the same city that they operate in and sell to, Floating Farm minimizes transportation costs and associated carbon emissions. I thought this company was really cool, and, after visiting it, I think I would love to be a part of a company that operates so sustainably. So, a new professional goal of mine is definitely to work for a company that prioritizes sustainability, like the one that I visited in the Netherlands. The picture below shows the Floating Farm.
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