Dear Diary: No
more crawfish!
What does Megan Pence remember about participating
in the Animal Sciences 393 spring trip? For starters, too many hours
in the bus and too many crawfish dinners. Pence, a senior in agricultural
communication, reflects on a whirlwind spring break trip covering nine
states in seven days.
Day One · The
Purdue bus is nice, as buses go, but it's not the kind of place you
want to spend seven days of your life. But that's what we asked for
when we signed up for this class.
The first thing I learned about bus travel is that nodding off and
hitting my head on the seat in front of me does hurt.
Hours on the bus through Illinois have me thinking one thing: Boy,
did I make a mistake. I could be in Florida, or Texas, anywhere on spring
break other than in this bus.
Maybe
I should have missed the bus, like two other students who had to catch
up to us on our first stop. But then I would have missed out on one
of the most memorable and unique experiences as a Purdue student. I
get a hint of that when we get to Memphis and visit Beale Street. Good
music, good food, and fellow students who are becoming good friends.
One of the greatest things
about Travel Course is the diversity in the stops. This is truly a
unique cultural experience.
Day Two · Our
journey takes us to Shiloh National Military Park and National Cemetery.
It was a very surreal stop for all of us. With the prospects of a war
with Iraq looming on the horizon, to be among the graves of fallen American
heroes from another war was an overwhelming feeling.
Day Three · Staring
at live and unfortunately some dead catfish doesn't sound like a good
time, but talk about interesting. We met Bubba III, a 10-pound-plus
catfish, at the USDA Catfish Genetics Research Unit at Indianola, Miss.
He may not be much to look at, but Bubba has a wonderful personality!
Day Four · They
may love crawfish at Louisiana State University and throughout the South,
but I hate them. Disemboweling something before I eat it turns me off.
But as a guest of the university, I have to be polite. And the hospitality
has been great. We are finding the South to have some of the friendliest
people in the world.
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