Introduction: Kryslynne V.

Hi! My name is Kryslynne and I am a sophomore at Penn State University. I plan on graduating with a degree in agricultural and extension education. When I’m not in State College attending classes, you can find me back home on the fruit farm that I work at.  I have always had a love for all forms of agriculture but through the farm I have gained a much deeper love for it. You wouldn’t believe the amount of knowledge I have acquired just in how to properly cut a tree. Seeing all these things that factor into farming, of any kind, inspires me to continue to expand my understanding of agriculture. 

 My family and I enjoy traveling all across the U.S. on hunting trips and just for the adventure. However, I haven’t gotten the chance to travel outsides of the states yet so I am wicked excited to be traveling to Belize! When I go on hunting trips I am mainly focusing on how the animals interact with the environment. But with this trip, I want to try to focus more on how crops and other plants are grown.

I love going to new places and meeting new people. Somehow by putting myself in these situations, I am able to overcome my antisocial tendencies. By knowing that I have limited time with these new individuals I strive to learn as much as I can from them. For example, when I went bear hunting in Maine I volunteered to aid in setting up the ground blinds and baiting. Being able to get an up close and personal view of how the guide carried out their jobs showed me that there was more to it than just sitting down and getting the chance to shoot a bear. There was an extensive amount of preparation behind making sure everything would run smoothly. If I would have never volunteered I wouldn’t have appreciated getting my bear as much as I did.

In addition, I have conducted an extensive amount of research on the people of Mesoamerica. At a very young age I developed an extreme interest for history. One of the fields I always wanted to gain more knowledge on is the Mayans and Aztecs. I was always fascinated by their artwork and architecture. The detail that they would put into constructing these amazing structures entranced me. To expand my knowledge of these people I’ve taken classes that directly focused on the Mayans and Aztecs. So, when I heard that I could get to travel to the area that I have studied for so long I almost lost my mind. It was like a dream come true for me. I hope to make the most out of this trip as I possibly can.