Why Do We Travel? Final #AgEd2Malaysia Thoughts

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”

I found this quote in October 2017 when I was creating my application video for #AgEd2Malaysia. This phrase struck a cord with me because each time I reveal to my family that I'm going away for a trip, they always ask "why." This 27-day journey in Malaysia was the longest period of time I've been away from Central Pennsylvania. Fully immersed in a culture drastically different than my own, this trip has helped me answer "why do you go away?"

11.    Travel to Learn. I was eager to participate in #AgEd2Malaysia to learn about the Malaysian Education system, the Islam religion, and how agriculture impacted the development of Malaysia post-independence. I had done some preliminary preparation with our #AgEd2Malaysia team, but no preparation could compare to the in-country learning opportunities. The most meaningful learning experience for me happened when we were visiting a Sikh temple on Harmony street in Johor Bahru. A youth leader from the temple dropped what he was doing and welcomed us inside. He never asked what religion we were—he treated us an equal. After this humbling experience, I spent a lot of time thinking about how much I don’t know about world religions (I had never heard of Sikhism) and what would I have done if a group of Muslims/Hindus/Sikhs showed up at my church and asked for a tour. Before this experience, I probably would have said no out of fear of these unknown religions. I gained many valuable insights into Malaysian culture by experiencing it firsthand.

22.    Travel to Escape. My life in the United States is driven by schedules, deadline, and constantly working to stay ahead of the next curveball that may be thrown. This trip reminded me about the importance of truly understanding people, developing genuine friendships, and taking a break from a predictable routine. The point in the trip where I realized there is more to life than working was on our island-hopping adventure in Sabah. Snorkeling in clear-blue water, I was mesmerized and could have continued looking at tropical fish and coral reefs for hours. Sometimes traveling is a chance to enjoy time away from our daily routine and enjoy time in a new country.    

33.    Travel to Discover. Discovery was a very important facet of this trip. I discovered the value that Malaysian culture places on hospitality. From the day we were greeted at the airport, to the numerous meals prepared, and the elaborate welcome to secondary schools, we were always treated as guests of honor. I also discovered the value placed on family after staying with a Malaysian family in FELDA. In this home, 3 generations lived under the same roof and worked together to cook meals, care for children, and complete daily chores. Finally, I discovered my ability to overcome language barriers and communicate with my host family at FELDA. With an initial fear about the language barrier, I finally discovered common interests we both shared, which allowed the final days of my home-stay to go smoothly.

44.    Travel to Meet New Friends. We were very fortunate to have spent 27 days with 10 students and a variety of lecturers from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. From the second this group met us at the airport, I knew this group of individuals would leave an unforgettable impact on me. They greeted us with open arms, graciously showed us around 4 states in Malaysia with class, hospitality, and a positive outlook for future collaboration. I will never forget this group and hope I can somehow repay the hospitality they have shown us.

55.    Travel to Experience a World Different Than Our Own. Traveling 9,000 miles across the globe opened my eyes to how different cultures solve the same problems that we all experience. Just because another culture does something different does not mean it is wrong. This was a very important sentiment that was repeated by several members of our group throughout the trip. I also experienced religions other than my own, which was perhaps one of the most impactful opportunities of my life that I plan to share with members of my church upon returning.

Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. When I arrive home in rural Central Pennsylvania, I will never take any tradition, cultural norm, or religion for granted and seek to understand the people behind these valued pieces of daily life. The challenges of adjusting back to a daily routine/schedules/deadlines will be intriguing to me and I look forward to my new perception about the United States after being away for 30 days.

Teaching to Inspire--Our Final Malaysian Teaching Experience

During our group reflection on Monday evening, Shelby, Thomas, and Nisa asked us the question, “Why do we teach?” Members of our group quickly responded with the following phrases:

• ·       “Pass on knowledge to students”
• ·       “Give every student the chance to succeed”
• ·       “Inspire students to find their passion”

This question resonated with the group as we had just finished our last teaching episode at Dato Lela Maharaja Vocational College. Our 3 teaching experiences scaffolded from teaching Form 2 students (14 years old), then hosting an Agriculture Day for 60 secondary students, to finally teaching students (16-19 years old) at a Vocational Agricultural College.  At Dato Lela Maharaja, students are part of a specific agricultural program (Agronomy, Poultry Agro-Industry, Ruminant Agro-Industry, Agro-Mechanization, Aquaculture, Ornamental Horticulture, Architectural Landscape, or Agriculture Food Processing).  Our 6 teaching teams each chose a content area and were tasked with preparing a 90-minute lesson for a group of students. During our planning, we needed to consider that students may have advanced content knowledge, have strong English communication skills, or may have covered the topic of our lesson previously in their studies. Nonetheless, our teaching teams collaborated and utilized teaching strategies centered around student engagement, inquiry, and project-based learning.

Drawing upon past teaching experience, two teachers decided to utilize an activity they implement in their secondary Agricultural Science programs in the United States. Melissa Grant, Indiana AgriScience Teacher, and Darla Romberger, Pennsylvania AgriScience Teacher, are both Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE)-certified in the Agricultural Science—Animal course. Melissa’s group consisting of Manny Catala (@MCatala35), Azira, and Ain provided instruction to the Poultry Agro-Industry group while Darla’s group of Mikaella Koster (@MikaellaKoster) and Fatin instructed the Ruminant Agro-Industry class. Knowing that both lessons needed to be challenging, engaging, and somewhat flexible, the CASE-certified teachers decided to utilize inquiry-based lessons from the CASE curriculum and implement them in a Malaysian classroom.

The poultry instructional team led a class of Form 4 students (ages 15-16) and focused their lesson on internal anatomy and physiology of poultry animals. After briefly introducing the function and appearance of internal organs, students created digestion murals of a broiler chicken (Project. 5.1.4.) utilizing assorted craft supplies. Before creating the mural, students needed to justify how each craft item accurately represented each organ. Melissa noted, “It was awesome to see students in a different country enjoying the same activity that my students do in Indiana.” The students loved being out of their seats collaborating and creating a poster that they could display to other students in the Poultry program.

The ruminant instructional team led a class of 19-year-old students (that would graduate with a Vocational College diploma at the end of the year) and concentrated on the topic of biosecurity and the effectiveness of various biosecurity practices.  After a brief introduction about the various control points in a biosecurity plan, students replicated various scenarios on a farm to evaluate the effectiveness of biosecurity practices (Activity 3.3.2. Biosecurity: Managing Risk). The class had already discussed the concept of biosecurity, but our group was confident in the problem-based activity we had planned. The instructional team explained the purpose of a nutrient agar petri dish and gave instruction how to label, swab, and seal a petri dish with parafilm—all new concepts for this group of students. Students then predicted which biosecurity scenario would result in the least bacterial growth and therefore be the most effective practice to reduce the spread of disease. “It was rewarding to see project-based learning and inquiry strategies come to life in a Malaysian classroom and hope that I inspired these students to ask questions and become more engaged in Animal Science content,” Darla reflected.

After teaching in Malaysia and the United States, I’ve realized that teachers across the globe teach for the same reasons—to inspire, motivate, and share knowledge with students, regardless of what country we teach in. When tasked with teaching a class of Malaysian students, I instantly thought of all the barriers we would have while teaching (language, content, etc). However, I quickly remembered why I enjoy teaching—sharing my passion about animal agriculture with future generations of students and turned my focus on this thought while planning and teaching our lesson. This motivation will continue as we enter our classrooms next fall and continue to motivate, inspire, and share knowledge about global agriculture and our second home—Malaysia.

Discovering the Dairy Industry in Malaysian Borneo

Since we arrived in Malaysia 18 days ago, I had not seen a single dairy operation in the state of Johor, which is the southern-most point of peninsular Malaysia (and Asia).

We have recently traveled to the state of Sabah, which is on the island of Borneo and has a climate more suitable for dairy production. The operation we visited is situated at the base of Mount Kinabalu, the highest point in Sabah. Nestled upon nearly 400 acres in the rural town of Kundasang at nearly 6,000 feet above sea level, the farm remains comfortable at a temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit  year-round.

9,000 miles away away from home on the opposite side of the world, dairy enthusiasts from the
#AgEd2Malaysia team enjoyed a visit to DESA Dairy, an operation home to 600 head of Holstein-Friesian cows, heifers, and calves. In addition to
processing their own milk from 200 lactating cows into gelato, ice cream, cheese, and bottling
their own milk, DESA Dairy also expanded its business plan to build an impressive agri-tourism
facility. Upon arrival to the dairy, we found many families enjoying the DESA café, purchasing
cheese, and exploring the dairy facility via a self-guided tour.

Upon arrival to DESA dairy, adjectives such as “innovative, progressive, and model operation”
came to mind as we met our tour guide overlooking the parlor. Our guide (who had a B.S. degree
in Tourism & Management) was quickly bombarded with questions such as average milk
production, reproduction techniques, milking frequency and nutrition. Here are some quick facts:

• Biosecurity practices are implemented and enforced. Our vans drove through a tire wash

and we stepped in a foot bath prior to accessing the barns

• DESA Dairy is a closed-herd as the operation has only purchased cattle twice (from

Australia and New Zealand)

• 3x per day milking (never received a definite Rolling Herd Average (RHA), but the tour

guide mentioned that these Holsteins can easily produce 25 liters/day, a progressive 94 lb/day)

• Operation uses a double 20 Delaval parallel parlor
• Artificial insemination is utilized with only the top-ranked bulls (our tour guide didn’t

know breeding priorities, but we can assume milk production)

The freestall barn was identical to a modern dairy barn in the United States, complete with a
rotating cow brush. All cows were equipped with activity monitors around their neck, indicating
that DESA values technology and information to help make informed breeding, milking, and
health decisions from the data provided by the activity monitors. Automatic scrapers removed
manure to a nearby lagoon while cows enjoyed clean cow mattresses covered in sawdust, an
acceptable practice in the United States.

Cows received a feed that appeared like a TMR (total mixed ration) and via
observations/information from the tour guide, we could conclude that cows received a mixture
of dried day (imported from New Zealand in super-compact bales), corn, bean sprouts, a high
moisture green-chop hay, and protein pellets.

DESA Dairy farm has maintained premium quality milk by implementing good farming practices,
advanced technology, machine hygiene and maintenances, and dairy monitoring of milk quality.
This dairy operation has established food safety assurance management throughout the
processing line, which has allowed the company to sell dairy products. DESA Dairy sells nine
dairy products consisting of fresh milk, flavored milk, goat’s milk, natural yogurt, fruit yogurt,
yogurt gelato, mozzarella cheese, Camembert cheese, and DESA Farm cheese.

And the question you’ve been asking yourself...what about the milk prices? This is a question that
can’t be answered simply from the tour information (again, we had above-average knowledge
compared to the normal tourist groups). The tour guide did tell us that DESA dairy sells 1 liter
of milk for 5.7 Malaysian Ringgits ($1.43 per liter, which equates to $5.38 per gallon). However,
DESA is unique because they process all of their milk and don’t sell to the market. In an attempt
to locate statistics specific to the number of dairy cattle, milk prices, etc. in Agriculture in the
Malaysian Region, statistics reference “livestock rearing” with the major species being chicken
and broiler production. Cattle for milk production are not mentioned on any data tables,
indicating that dairy production is not a major economic driver in Malaysia like it is in
Pennsylvania.

The value and commitment DESA food products has established their name in many household
throughout Sabah, Malaysia. Their products of consumption are safe and halal status. Their
commitment to a halal status is a preferred supply of choice among people buying their products.
The reason being is because 65% of their customers are Islamic. This may bring up the question,
“Who or what makes the makes the meat Halal?” There are three certified Halal checkers on duty
throughout the process. This is to make sure slaughtering is done according to the Islamic am.  
One could find Halal checkers before slaughtering and two checkers after slaughtering.

The organization of DESA Dairy was also admirable and very similar to large dairy operations.
The tour guide continuously made reference to different “departments” that existed within the
business structure. A total of 150 employees are engaged in the operation from the following
departments: Finance, Farm Crew, Marketing, Maintenance, Processing, and Transportation.
Although this number may seem high for the total number of animals on the operation, we know
that 9 cows support 1 job in the dairy industry in Pennsylvania, so a similar sentiment is observed
at DESA Dairy as well.

Wednesday, July 18^th marked the start of our home-stay at the FELDA community in Ayer Hitam, about an hour north of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Read more about the Federal Land Development Authority and why it was established in 1956. While becoming a part of the FELDA community, American students/teachers were paired with a student from UTM and placed with a family who expressed interested in hosting. I was paired with Yazlin and together we were placed with Mr. Abd Rahman Bin Md Basri (Rahman), his wife Maruyah Binti Mohd Irsat (Mar), and their family. 

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the leader of the community and the liaison for our trip, Zol. After being introduced to our host parents, our group of US students/teachers and Malaysian students gathered our bags and travelled to our new home for the next 4 days. On the short drive to our home, Yazlin started conversation with our host in Malay. Usually I am very conversational, but suddenly I realized that the next 4 days would challenge me as I would need to depend upon Yazlin’s translations to communicate with my host parents (which I became more and more thankful for as the night went on).  

Mar's oldest son, his wife, myself, Mar, and Yazlin

Our first night consisted of refreshments at 5:00 pm (i.e. a small meal between larger meals), then preparing to visit Rahman and Mar’s oldest son at his home in Ayer Hitam, a short 10 minutes away at 9:00 pm. I quickly learned that evening activities (including the night meal) start much later than in the United States.  Other members of our #AgEd2Malaysia team enjoyed visiting their neighbors, going out to eat with their host families, or watching the popular catfishing tournament. I experienced a variety of emotions while enjoying our meal that night—happiness, awkward silence, confusion, and anxiety. Slightly nervous about the social dynamics during the rest of my homestay, I quickly agreed to go shopping for make-up (at 10:00 pm) with Rahman’s daughters. This experience really helped to break the silence as we shared our interests in shopping.

The next morning consisted of nasi lamak (coconut rice) served with a fried egg and a friendly conversation over the photo album I brought from home. I am so glad I got the idea to bring photographs while reading I Will Always Write Back. The pen pals in this book always enjoyed viewing photos of each other’s family, so I thought this was a great idea to share photos with my host family. I left the house for our scheduled group tours with a renewed confidence that I had found a way to have conversation with my host family.

As we continued to share more meals and participate in the evening activities scheduled by the FELDA community liaison, I felt more accepted and we continued to swap stories about our families and interests. I felt like a part of the family when Mar loaned me her traditional Malaysian clothing to wear for a party that evening and Yazlin helped me pin my hijab in place. Rahman must have been proud as he insisted that we take a family photo before leaving for the party. 

Becoming a part of the FELDA community for a short 4 days has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences in my travel experiences. Perceived obstacles such as cultural norms, a language barrier, and multi-generational homes quickly faded as I was greeted with genuine hospitality and a family willing to teach me about their culture while I shared about my culture. This experience has allowed me to realize that most important facet of life is the people we encounter and the relationships we have the chance to cultivate with them. I will never forget the Basri family and hope that somehow I can repay the hospitality they’ve shown me in the future.

Humbled by Hospitality at the Sikh Temple

When we left today to tour the city of Johor Bahru, I had no idea how humbling of a day it would turn out to be. What was planned as a simple cultural tour of the city turned out to be a very thought-provoking day for our group, especially me.

We toured a section of the city known as the Harmony District, a part of the bustling city that boasted a Chinese Temple, Hindu Temple, and Sikh Temple in very close proximity. I was not expecting to be welcomed into these holy places, but quite the opposite happened. We were met with welcoming hosts who were willing to passionately explain their religion and beliefs to a group of Americans from nearly 9,000 miles away.

The most meaningful experience of my trip thus far happened in a Sikh temple. Until about 8 hours ago, I had never heard of the Sikh religion, but it is the 5th largest religion in the world. It is considered a very young religion with its roots traced to the 1400s. Setting some context, we were on a walking tour with a guide and she was planning to just show us the temple herself (which is permitted). However, there was an engagement prayer taking place when we arrived, so we were turned away since we were a large group. This gentleman saw our group and said if we would wait 30 minutes, he would be happy to help. We visited a nearby Hindu Temple (which contained some beautiful idols, paintings, and traditions).

The gentleman pictured in our photos was a Youth Leader at the Sikh temple (more about Sikhism) and provided us with genuine hospitality and welcoming comments. We had to have our heads covered (males and females) to enter the temple, so we pulled out our scarves and the Malaysian students helped us cover our heads. The engagement prayer was coming to a close, so we sat outside the prayer room, but watched through glass windows. At the conclusion ceremony, the priests came out to our group and provided us with the sweet paste they handed out during the ceremony, which was not expected. (Still need to do more research about the significance of this paste and why it is given). He then invited us into the prayer room (after we washed our feet and hands) and explained more about the altar and holy book that they worship.

After viewing the prayer room, he welcomed us downstairs to the fellowship hall to enjoy a meal. The Sikh Temples are open places where individuals of all genders, occupations, and monetary status are welcome. Anyone is welcome to stay in the temple during times of hardship and food is always available, no questions asked. Volunteers just show up to help prepare food and wash dishes (they don't make a schedule--they depend upon service and people doing the right thing and taking their turn). We did not feel comfortable eating a meal since we had intruded enough on this gentleman's time, so we enjoyed some tea (and apparently took the wrong kind of tea).

I was just blown away by this experience as I had time to reflect on the bus ride home. What would we (as Americans) have done if a group of 25 Muslims/Hindus/Sikhs in head coverings showed up to our church and asked for a tour to see how we worship? I can tell you that I would have certainly thought twice and tried to explain how I didn't have time or make an excuse that they weren't permitted to see our church. And, if I did give them a tour, what would I have said about Lutheranism? Would I have been able to talk an hour about the history of our religion and share with complete confidence about our core beliefs? I remember learning about the tenants of Lutheranism during our confirmation classes, but how much could I articulate to a group of strangers?

I doubt I will ever forget today because today I realized a powerful thing. Our Malaysian friends wear clothing very different from us and to some Americans, they view this type of clothing as that of terrorists. However, today I realized that I no longer see my friends wearing a hijab, but rather as a person with a name, face, and personality. It brings tears to my eyes at how welcoming these people are to us and how much we misunderstand their religion and what it stands for. The basic tenant of Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism is compassion and understanding of others--but NOT HATE.

The story of the Good Samaritan instantly came to my mind today and I will carry the moral of this story with me often. "Go and do the same as the good Samaritan."

Teaching in Malaysia: Round 1

As part of our #AgEd2Malaysia journey, all members of our team will be tasked with providing classroom instruction to Malaysian classrooms. At first, this task can seem daunting, but we will be paired with students from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia who are fluent in Malay and can assist with any translation.

The first topic of teaching was aquaponics. Since Malaysia does not have large amounts of land to grow vegetables and raise fish for protein, aquaponics is a current topic to increase agricultural outreach in urban areas. My teaching team consisted of Kristi Mensen, a student-teacher candidate from Iowa State University, and Ain & Suhana from UTM.

Our goals for the lesson included:

• Introduce the definition of aquaponics system
• Describe the purpose of a aquaponics system
• Explain the 6 components of a aquaponics system
• Construct a simple aquaponics system using recycled materials

Our UTM colleagues started the lesson (in Malay) and walked students through the opening routine of class (students stand to greet the teacher and exchange greetings) and instructed students to find the definition and purpose of aquaponics in the textbook. Fun fact--Malaysian schools are on a national curriculum (even for agriculture), so each school in the country has the same textbook. From a teacher's perspective, this is a great system because regardless of which school you will be placed to teach in, the curriculum is identical. However, this may not meet the local needs of the community in which you teach.

I was responsible for guiding students through an inquiry-based activity to brainstorm what the function and purpose of each component of an aquaponics system (Fish, Plant, Air Stone, Air Tube, Pump, and Small Plastic Pot). I provided instructions in English, then my Malaysian counterparts asked students if they had questions (in Malay). After 5 minutes of brainstorming, I asked each group to share their answers. I was originally worried that they would be reluctant to share, but each group confidently held up their poster and provided their answers to the class.

Finally, Kristi led the class through a demonstration on how to build a simple aquaponics system using a plastic bottle, shower loofa, and small plastic pots. For her first time teaching a group of students (ever), she did a phenomenal job and really connected with the class.

At the end of the class, we surprised the students with a goldfish for their completed aquaponics system and the entire class of students swarmed around the front desk to watch as Kristi put a fish in their system. Group photos and selfies quickly ensued and just as quickly as we started teaching, the lesson had come to a close. 

Overall, I didn't really know how the lesson would be received by the students, but our group was engaged, asked on-task questions, and smiled frequently during the lesson. We have 2 more teaching opportunities where we will be paired with a new team to plan a new lesson. 

Cheers!

~Rom

Pekan Nanas: Our Visit to Pineapple Town!

You would have thought we were in Hawaii yesterday as we made a much-anticipated visit to a Pineapple Farm! Our Malaysian counterparts thought it was so funny that we were excited to visit a pineapple farm until they learned that the only state that grows pineapples in the United States is Hawaii. Nonetheless, energy was high as we drove through a palm plantation to reach the Ministry of Agriculture's Pineapple Research and Development farm of 300 acres.

As we stepped off the bus, we received some awesome information that would help set the stage for our visit. The purpose of this farm is to produce "seeds" that are sold to farmers (more on a "seed" later). Additionally, this farm works with different varieties of pineapples from neighboring nations to determine which pineapples can be grown successfully in Malaysia that meet the strict demands for the export market (again, more on that story later). When planting pineapples, the planting density is 15,000-17,000 pineapples per acre.

Pineapple "seeds" ready to be
removed and sold to farmers
for $0.50 each

We started our tour by viewing a pineapple patch that had just been burned. After a crop has been harvested, the method of preparing a field for replanting is by burning the remaining plant material. We asked about any mechanical methods of removal (plowing, tilling, etc) to prepare the field and quickly learned that the soil for growing pineapples is peat, a very soft silt (I had never seen peat before, but while walking on the fields, it felt like a squishy rug). Needless to say, equipment would not be practical, so this is a very labor-intensive planting and harvesting process. The soil is also very acidic (3.75-4.5) and no soil amendments are needed to raise/lower the pH--we are told the pineapples love acidic soils.

Demonstration of how crowns
are quartered. All by hand.

Our tour continued past fields of pineapples in various stages of development, but our next stop was to view the seed development process. The pineapples grown for seed development have their crowns removed, and trimmed down to a 3-4 inch piece. This piece is then "quartered" to expose the inner portion of the crown that has plant cells that will continue to develop once planted. These quarters are planted and allowed to grow for 4 months. Once the growing crown is 4 months old, it is considered a "seed" that can be sold to local pineapple farmers. I asked the question, "Can a farmer retain the crowns from their own pineapple crop to create next year's crop?" (Essentially keeping seeds for themselves). I asked this question to determine if the pineapple genetics and seed development process was the property of the seed breeder like it is in the United States. I was told farmers can keep their crowns to grow their own seeds, but it is management decision depending upon available labor.

We learned the following quick facts while walking to the pineapple variety demonstration area.

So many pineapple statues in Pekan
Nanas (Pineapple Town!)

• Once a pineapple seed is planted, it takes 14-16 months to harvest a pineapple (remember the seed was 4 months old)
• Pineapples can go without water for 3 months
• Once a pineapple has created a fruit, you can remove the "suckers" and replant them to grow a new pineapple plant (again, a management decision)
• For export to the United States, the crown of the pineapple can only be 10 inches tall.
• Interesting Fact: The main reason that pesticides are applied to pineapples are to keep the crowns in perfect condition for the export market. 
• We were told that if the United States and other countries would change their policies, nearly no pesticides would be needed in pineapple production (talk about irony)

The final leg of the journey was a guided tour of the various varieties of pineapples. Additionally, there are ornamental pineapple plants as well (who knew?)

Several varieties of pineapples identified with the variety and
country of origin

Example of an ornamental pineapple!

Pineapple is utilized to create numerous products in Malaysia.
Anything from hand cream to drinkable juice to shampoo!

Student Agriculture Projects in Malaysian Secondary Schools: Day 3

After acclimating to Malaysian culture (in a short 3 days), our group had the chance to visit a small secondary school (500 students) that offers "Living Skills" classes (the equivalent of our Agriculture classes). At the SMK Telok Kerang school, we were fortunate to learn about the progressive vision, mission, and objectives of their Form 4 (16-year-old) and Form 5 (17-year-old) agriculture classes. Additionally we toured 3 student projects (the equivalent of a school-based Supervised Agriculture Experience) at the school.

 The first student project was fertigation, or the injection of fertilizers, soil amendments, and water-soluble products directly into the irrigation system of a greenhouse. This student demonstrated adding the A fertilizer (macronutrients) and B fertilizer (micronutrients) to the reservoirs, then testing the electrical conductivity to ensure it was correct. He then explained that the irrigation was set to run at certain times to provide the mixed fertilizer to the plants in the nearby greenhouse. The major crop grown in this greenhouse was eggplants, and they were beautiful to admire!

The second student project was quail production! In the United States, it is fairly common for Agriculture programs to raise chickens, then collect eggs and/or butcher the chickens for use in a Food Science class. I was surprised to find that quail was the bird of choice since it produces such small eggs. Each student is given a pen of 5 birds to manage and monitor as part of their Livestock Production class. The student group for this project provided a beautiful tri-fold pamphlet in English (which is their second language)! The US Agriculture Teachers commented that the technical terms used in the pamphlet were more advanced than our students could articuluate in English! We were impressed at the level of knowledge and confidence the students exhibited while introducing us to their projects. I noticed that one of the "future goals" for the quail production project was to use Effective Microorganisms (EM) in the feed and/or drinking water to reduce the odor of the manure! Immediately impressed, I asked the teacher what products they planned to feed the animals to accomplish this goal. He said spinach and molasses were the products they wanted to try! Since odor is a major concern of producing livestock in the United States, I quickly explained to the teacher that this idea was novel, important, and very advanced and his program should be applauded for investigating this idea.

The final student project was Lemongrass. This plant is used in cooking to provide a desirable aroma and is also used to make a tasty drink called Serai. However, before we could get the chance to taste this drink, we had to learn how to process the lemongrass properly to prepare the beverage. The Malaysian students gave us a demonstration on how to remove a section of the lemongrass, cut away the roots, and slice the top portions off the stem. Thanks to our Malaysian counterparts, we were proficient in no time at all!

At the conclusion of the lemongrass presentation, we were able to talk with some of the secondary students and laughter, selfies, and countless pictures quickly ensued. We were told by our UTM counterparts that when visitors, especially foreign visitors, come to the school, it is a major event that every student wants to be a part of. They asked curious questions and admired our clothing, hair, and how we tried to speak Malay with them. This reaction would not happen in a school in the United States, so it was quite refreshing to be reminded again of the Malaysian hospitality and friendship we immediately experienced upon our arrival.

See that crazy fruit on the table? It is called Durian and is known as the "King of Fruits" in Malaysia. Our hosts have been talking about this fruit since our arrival and have wanted us to try it. We quickly figured out why this fruit has been a huge deal--it has a strong odor, but supposedly "tastes really good." With the motto, "I'll try anything once," Thomas and I put a smile on our face and tried the putty-like flesh of the durian and struggled to keep a smile on our faces because of the odor. The taste does not match the smell, but it reminded us of an onion mixed with dull pineapple. The students asked us if we liked it and I replied, "I would eat it only mixed with something else, like coconut." So, if you ever spot a durian in an Asian food store, give it a shot! The outside is square spikes and about the size of a small basketball.

Up next: Touring a pineapple research farm and learning about what we are teaching to a group of Malaysian students!

Beginning the #AgEd2Malaysia Journey

"The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn't even think to ask."  This quote is very fitting as a group of Agriculture Teachers begins experiencing the culture, customs, and traditions related to Malaysian culture. Even though our group has been preparing for this trip since January, I wondered about our first few days in Malaysia and several questions began running through my mind during our 24 hours of travel from Pennsylvania to Southeast Asia. Would we be able to communicate with the Malaysian students? What will they think of Americans? Will they want to talk to us? Do they want to know about the United States? 

Upon arrival to the Senai Airport in Johar Bahru, I knew something would be special about our time in Malaysia. We were greeted by a group of smiling students and faculty members from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Even though we were exhausted from over 24 hours of travel, this welcome brought smiles and excitement to our group and set a positive outlook for the next 4 weeks of our journey.

Although this may seem like a traditional airport welcome for some travelers, I felt an instant sense of hospitality, friendship, and camaraderie as our Malaysian hosts made it a point to introduce themselves to each member of our group and offer to assist us with luggage. This sense of instant friendship has continued during each day of our experience as we continue to meet new faculty and students at the Universiti.

Even though we have been on the UTM campus for only 3 days, it seems like we have known our hosts for a week or more as we have talked so comfortably with our hosts about anything from sports, religion, politics, and traditions. As we begin to ask some questions, we find ourselves being very cautious about how we phrase the question because we aren't sure how our UTM counterparts feel about the topic. However, we are often met with the sentiment, "We are happy to tell you what you want to know about anything in Malaysia." In return, the Malaysian students are very curious about our lives in America and how they can learn from us as well. In my past international travels, I've never experienced a shared sense of curiosity and mutual learning that has been demonstrated by our entire #AgEd2Malaysia team a short 3 days into our experience.

I cannot wait to continue asking questions I hadn't even considered before arriving in Malaysia and gaining a sense of how a country 9,000 miles away from Pennsylvania implements Agriculture Education into their school system with the same passion, excitement, and enthusiasm that we have in the United States.

The Adventure of a Lifetime--#AgEd2Malaysia

Life has small ways of surprising you that can't be explained until years later. As I gaze out my front porch window at wheat fields, cattle grazing, and red barns against a blue sky, it's difficult to think that in less than a week, I will be in a different county on the opposite side of the world. While tending to various tasks on my laptop, I happened upon my personal blog that I created 5 years ago during my student-teaching experience. I look at the title of my blog, "Adventures in Agriculture Education" and think about how I chose this exact title 5 years ago when I had no idea where Agriculture Education would take me. The alliteration in the title must have sounded catchy at the time, but now I think the word "adventure" has been very fitting describing the past 5 years teaching agricultural science that have led up to the greatest adventure yet--#AgEd2Malaysia.

Looking back at my time as an FFA member, I can honestly thank Agriculture Education for allowing me to appreciate the value of travel. When I attended the 2006 National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN, this was only the second state I'd ever visited (besides Maryland at the beach). Since that trip, most of my traveling has come courtesy of FFA and Agriculture Education. Due the confidence I gained from traveling in FFA, I was fortunate to attend 2 study-abroad experiences in college (Poland and Ireland). As an Ag Teacher, I've attened CASE institutes in Oregon, Tennessee, and Indiana and participated in the NAAE Conventions in Louisiana and Nevada. I've been very fortunate to understand the value in travel and how it creates a perspective and appreciation for where I currently live and teach in Pennsylvania. 

When the opportunity to travel to Malaysia for 30 days to experience Agriculture Education in Southeast Asia, I knew it would be an experience I couldn't pass up. I am ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime with a great cohort of Agriculture Educators who share my global curiosity. I found this quote last October when applying to participate in #AgEd2Malaysia and it will be my motivation on this trip.

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”

Follow our trip for live updates using the hashtag #AgEd2Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Malaysian Government and Agricultural Policy

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Prior to departing for Malaysia in July, #AgEd2Malaysia participants developed teams consisting of a pre-service and in-service Agricultural Science teacher to develop a pre-trip learning experience for their fellow participants. Each team determined a topic to research and method of presentation. This post will provide a summary of the content presented by Kristi Mensen (Hawkeye Community College, Iowa) and Darla Romberger (Cumberland Valley High School, Pennsylvania).

Malaysian Government, Agricultural Policy, and Agriculture Education

The objectives of this session were:

1. Describe the system of government in Malaysia.
2. Compare the priorities of Malaysian Agricultural Policy Pre- and Post-Independence
3. Discuss the development of Technical & Vocational Education Training in secondary schools from 1957 to the present.
4. Identify relevant agricultural organizations that support secondary Agriculture Education in Malaysia.

These objectives were created to inform the #AgEd2Malaysia team about the basic tenants and organization of the Malaysian government and how policies surrounding education and agriculture are developed and implemented.

Malaysian Government

The Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia) was formed in 1957 upon gaining independence from the United Kingdom. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected monarch as the head of state. The official term for the Malaysian monarch is Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or “He who was made Lord.” The monarch is elected to a 5-year term by the rulers of the 9 Malay states (of 13) that have hereditary rulers. 

Aside from the monarch, there are 3 branches of government (legislative, judiciary, and executive) that function similarly to that of the United Kingdom. A Prime Minister is the head of the Executive Branch and is directly appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Individual states have their own respective legislative and executive authorities.

Malaysian Agricultural Policy

The involvement of British colonizers beginning in the early 1900s had a long-lasting impact on the Malaysian agricultural sector. Prior to 1957, all decisions regarding agricultural development were made to benefit British interests in exporting raw commodities, especially rubber, palm oil, and cocoa during WWI and WWII. This perpetuated the development of infrastructure in Malaysia while defining the racial identification of workers in respective commodities (Malay in subsistence paddy farms, Indian in commercial plantations, and Chinese in vegetable production).

Post-independence agricultural policies varied greatly due to Malaysia’s newfound position as a global leader in rubber and palm oil production. From 1957-1984, nearly 250,000 hectares of forests were cleared so palm and rubber trees could be planted. Although these actions created jobs, it created a further divide in small farms and large corporate plantations. From 1984-1992, agricultural policy made strides to eradicate poverty of small farmers and increase the value of agriculture products for exports. The 1990s and early 2000s continued to be a time of revelation for the Malaysian government as the agriculture sector’s GDP began to steadily decline and manufacturing soared. The current policy (developed in 2010) aims to diversify the agriculture sector to include agrotourism, aquaculture, small scale livestock, and forestry products in an effort to revitalize the agriculture sector and recruit new individuals into agriculture research & development.

Technical & Vocational Education Training (TVET) in Malaysia

When Malaysia gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, the education system was lacking any type of organization or consistency across the 13 Malay states. Early attempts in reorganizing the education system aimed to focus on providing 6 years of free education to all students, focusing on skill attainment necessary for economic development, and establishing teacher training colleges. It should be noted that agriculture was mentioned and considered in numerous reports when addressing technical education needs. (Note: TVET is the equivalent of Career & Technical Education in the United States.)

The most notable education reform impacted TVET occurred in 2011. Prior to this reform, TVET was implemented in 2 methods: (1) an elective course in secondary academic schools and (2) technical secondary schools. This is a similar method to what we are accustomed to in the United States.

The reform will bring the establishment of Vocational Colleges (VCs) by transforming the current technical secondary schools into these desired VCs for upper-secondary enrollment. The VCs will offer 2 tracks: (1) certificate programs at the upper secondary level and (2) diplomas at the secondary level. Additionally, TVET electives in academic secondary schools will be discontinued due to the limitations in providing “practical skills” to students who intend to enter the labor market after graduation.

Malaysian Agriculture Organizations

As agriculture educators and students in the United States, we are encouraged to become involved in numerous agricultural groups and organizations within our communities to develop an understanding of our local agricultural industry. Such groups include Farm Bureau, Grange, commodity groups, and breed associations. What are the key organizations that are providing support to Agriculture Education programs in Malaysia?

The #AgEd2Malaysia team compiled a directory of 10 relevant Malaysian Agriculture Organizations that can be viewed at the link below. Examples of groups include the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry (MOA), Farmers Organization Authority Malaysia (FOA), and the Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

Malaysian Agriculture Organizations

Follow the #AgEd2Malaysia Team's live adventure on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram beginning July 6 and ending August 3, 2018

Malaysia Agriculture Organizations