AgLeaders - Where in the world is Class 49? @agleadersclass49 - Tumblr Blog

Back to the USA..... well most of us!

Today is our last day on our absolutely fantastic International Trip! Traveling through Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was a once in a life time trip to experience the culture of the host countries but also to be able to travel with our fellow classmates, Director of Education Shelli Hendricks and Alumni Rachelle Antinetti.

These countries were very impressed with the USA, but I would say visiting these countries were are even more impressed with them! Their resiliency and love for their country and culture is absolutely amazing and humbling.

We will all be processing this trip for much time to come and will be reliving our experiences with the many similarities to being an American.

23 of the 26 made it back to CA today, the other fellows extended their trips to get a taste of more European culture!

Thank you CALF for arranging such a great trip, we will never forget it!

Auga - Grow

Our final day in Vilnius also happened to be the final day of our international seminar before we head home tomorrow. And what a day we had.

Our first meeting of the morning was with Auga Group. Auga means grow in Lithuanian and Auga Group certainly has grown in the five years since two smaller companies combined to become the largest vertically integrated food company an Europe. The company has 38,000 hectacres of certified organic farm ground throughout Lithuania. Mushrooms hold a major stake in the company’s portfolio which also encompasses dairy, eggs & poultry, and grains. Besides farming they also contract with a number of processing plants so they can target the consumer. Every entity supports the other entities, for instance, grains feed the dairy cows that produce manure to fertilize the mushrooms and so forth. The conversation was between Class 49 and the leadership team spilled over into lunch and was unfortunately cut short due to our next meeting.

Our final seminar of the trip was with the Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture. Karolis Anuzis led a presentation on the Lithuanian’s perspective towards a sustainable food sector. It’s very impressive to see how in their 30 years of independence they have come so far as to be completely self sufficient in a number of their agriculture sectors. Their biggest goal is to enter other markets with their products and excel as an export country. Despite all of our differences, it was amazing to hear about all of the similar challenges Lithuanian agriculture faces. For example, they are subject to strict European Union governance on eggs. Ukraine, is not subject to the same rules and exports eggs to Lithuania which hurts the domestic producer.

It was amazing to see how both entities noted that California is a trend driver and they actively watch not only the United States, but California as it’s own sector.

Following our final meeting we returned to the hotel for our last synthesis of the trip. Our two previous syntheses were in small groups so it was nice to get the whole class together and hear the about the impacts of the trip. Hard to believe we have less than a week total left together before we commence.

Our final dinner took place at Lokys, a local restaurant in Old Towne, specializing in game. We enjoyed beaver, boar, and venison before saying our final goodbye to Marija, tour guides, and bus driver. The tour company gifted us all books titled “The Population of Lithuania” each signed with “to remember and not forget... from little Baltic countries and their people with love.”

Your Presiding Fellows,

Brittany Fagundes, Betty Lindeman, Luis Calderon

Art and Adventure

Today, we were able to have a later start to the day which the group greatly appreciated. After a leisurely morning, we made our way to the Museum of Modern Art in Vilnius. A private museum opened and operated by a couple who had a vision of having a space to showcase Lithuanian artists. Though a small museum, the main exhibit of the museum was very relevant to the topics we’ve been exploring.

The exhibit was a variety of art and mixed media commenting on life during the 1990s in an independent Lithuanian. Throughout our international adventure we have been learning and discussing life in the Baltic States during Soviet Union occupation and how the countries have grown and evolved since regaining their independence. We have considered this from a historical, political and economic standpoint, but today we were presented with the cultural standpoint of life in Lithuania with the ability to have uncensored and unrestrained access to western products and pop culture. Our tour guide did an excellent job of explaining each installation and how it related to life in Lithuania during the period. For many of us, the museum was a new experience of viewing art in this manner and challenged us in learning how to view and appreciate modern art.

After the museum, we had a lovely lunch and some free time in the afternoon for viewing other museums, doing some shopping, attending Catholic Lithuanian Mass, climbing the to the top of castle hill for some great evening views of the city, and get in some additional rest! We closed the night with a great class dinner and some rest for our final day of meetings tomorrow!

Exploring Vilnius

Today, we spent the day exploring Vilnius and learning all about the rich history of this city and Lithuania. In the city of Vilnius, there are a total of fifty-two churches from a number of different religions, but predominantly Roman Catholic. We started our morning visiting The Church of Saints Peter and Paul The Apostles. Built in the late 17th century, the Church is a highlight for all who visit Vilnius and we were lucky to learn about the beautiful stucco sculptures painted in white from our wonderful tour guide, Maria. As a native Lithuanian from Vilnius, it was a special day learning about the long history of this beautiful city from Maria. Our entire trip Maria has shared her personal story of how her family was impacted by Soviet Occupation as well as her deep pride for Lithuania.

The second stop of the day was the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights where fellows received a very special tour from Jurate, where she shared her family’s personal story of how her father’s brother was imprisoned and tortured under Soviet occupations. Jurate escorted us through the various exhibits, sharing how her uncle was impacted while imprisoned by the KGB as well as other Lithuanians including priests, clergymen, nurses, and many more. We learned about various atrocities by the Soviet Union during the first occupation from 1940- 1941, by the Germans during World War II where an estimated 195,000 Jews were killed and the Jewish population of Lithuanian was essentially annihilated, and Soviet Occupation from 1945 through Lithuanian independence in 1991. It was a deeply moving exhibit and the entire class wished we had more time to explore further. We don’t feel we can do the museum justice through sharing with you some of information we learned during our visit so we would like to recommend the documentaries Jurate shared with us as accurate portrayals and personal stories of the Soviet occupation:

- The Soviet Story (Book)

- Literally Alone (Movie)

- Katyn (Movie)

- Shadows on the Tundra (Book)

- Red Terror on the Amber Coast (Book)

We then visited the memorial of the January events of the fight for independence in Lithuanian from the Soviet Union. Lithuanian declared independence from the Soviet Union in March 1990, however, Soviet troops did not withdraw from Lithuanian until 1993. During this period, there was a weakening Lithuanian economy, energy shortages and high inflation because of economic blockade organized by the Soviet Union. In January 1991, independence fighters were attacked at the Radio and Television Committee building and the TV Tower on the 13th of January. Fourteen individuals were killed and the memorial commemorates this event on the road to independence for Lithuanian. There were several other events in 1991 with a total of 24 Lithuanians dying during the fight for freedom.

The photo below is from the graffiti-ed walls of the parliament blockage by the Soviets.

We then visited the Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus of Vilnius on Cathedral square. Also built also in the late 17th centuries, there was similarities to the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in the beautiful baroque style and sculptures. Maria also shared with us the history and miracles of Saint Casimir Jagiello, the prince of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. His tomb sits within the Basilica Chapel and remains the patron saint of Lithuanian and Poland.

After lunch, we had a wonderful walking tour of Vilnius Old Town by Maria. We walked through the main part street of old town to city hall square. We were able to walk through the street where one of the two Jewish Ghettos were during German occupation in World War II. We visited the site that George W Bush visited and dedicated the friendship of the United States and Lithuania with a plaque “Anyone who would choose Lithuanian as an enemy has also made an enemy of the United States of America,” demonstrating US alliance and support of an independent Lithuanian.

Further down the hill we stopped outside the Presidential Palace for another picture opportunity. This impressive building was built in the 16th century. Opposite was the City University which was established in 1570.

After a history-rich day, we refreshed at the hotel, then left for an evening at the Ballet. We were able to see Black and White, a contemporary, adapted version of the flagship of the classical repertoire – Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake performed by the Brno Ballet Theatre. For many of us, it was our first modern ballet performance. The style was drastically different from our Nutcracker Ballet in Moscow, and presented us with a unique style and thought-provoking interpretation of the Ballet classic.

Thanks for tuning in and only two more days left on this adventure!

Your PFs,

James, Jared and Kate

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Our great guide around the Baltic countries, Marija, has made sure to keep us on our toes with lots of European “dad jokes.” As we drove away from the hotel, PF Mark Unruh turned the tables on her with a joke of his own to start our morning off right.

The day was spent with two different groups at Kaunas University of Technology(KTU). KTU is a leading Lithuanian university who truly executes a “learn by doing” atmosphere. The school is well known for its practical, cutting edge research done in real time to meet the needs of actual companies who rely on the stream of information. Opened in 1922, the University’s mission is to provide research-based studies at the international level; to develop and to transfer knowledge and innovative technologies for sustainable development of the State and development of innovations; to create an open creative environment which inspires talents and leaders.

Our first seminar was led by Mr. Lukas Bartusevicius the Business Development Specialist who designed the curriculum for a start up accelerator at KTU. As one of our fellows actually has a Bay Area start up company, the class was fascinated by the lecture. It was a great lesson in leadership as Lukas explained the most important part of any idea is the team that puts it together. The idea is not the whole story, the execution of the idea is what can make or break a new business. Knowing that nine out of ten businesses fail, the program compliments the Lithuanian culture of perseverance. Lukas has created a space at KTU for those with start up ideas to have office space, access to investors, and business consultants for free. After one year they must register the business as an entity. Lithuania has provided a perfect place for innovators to succeed through KTU and the willingness of the government to fund and help create more start ups.

Hackathons were also an interesting topic. The class was divided in knowing what an actual hackathon was. Many believed it had to do with cyber security but we learned hackathons are actually a two to three day event rooted in bring people of all backgrounds together to innovate and develop a new idea to pitch to the sponsoring companies. We ended the seminar by breaking into groups and staging our own hackathon proposals based on issues in our unique industries. Fun fact: the Facebook “like” button was created in a hackathon.

We enjoyed a quick lunch in the cafeteria before being bussed across campus to the Food Institute where we were greeted by Dr. Alvija Salasevicien and Dr. Loreta Basinskiene. They took us on a tour of their three story building where they hold lectures and labs on all things food. We saw their dairy products technology room, beer making room, meat lab, and numerous other rooms dedicated to food development. After the tour we enjoyed a lecture by Dr. Salasevcein on food visioning complete with a practical application where we again broke into groups to visualize a food system for 2030. It was interesting to see the similarities our class had in creating our visions of future food systems. Even though our countries are very different in food production we have very similar issues, uniting us in finding common solutions.

We ended our day with a ride on the train from Kanuas to Lithuanian capital city Vilnius. Another fun fact: our guide Marija actually lives in Vilnius and we could all tell how excited she was to share her beautiful city with us. We finished the evening with dinner at our final hotel and are excited to see what the rest of our international seminar has in store for us!

Your Presiding Fellows,

Brittany Fagundes, Melissa Macfarlane, Mark Unruh

(Also pictured Marija)

The Most Important Thing is Time

Class 49 woke up in Panevezys, Lithuania with 8 fellows starting the dark morning with a jog along the river banks. After 10 days of enjoying the local foods it was definitely a needed exercise moment.

We then boarded the bus and drove through the countryside to TIKRAS UKIS (translated to English means Real Farm) the largest fresh cabbage and carrot farm in Lithuania with 230ha. Sandra Kuprevicius the daughter of the second generation farm welcomed us with a friendly farmer smile. Her mother greeted us in a Lithuanian welcome and shared the history of the farm over last 20 years. The mother daughter pair shared a genuine moment when Sandra’s mom wished that Sandra’s future on the farm would be with less struggles and despair that they have had over the years in creating the business.

The generational challenges that many of us face in our lives at home were very similar to the words and struggles that our host shared. Sandra shared that the most valuable thing when making the generational change is time. While she and her father have their struggles, she shared that the time with him is the most valuable as the legacy and knowledge he has is the most appreciated.

We ended our visit tasting the delicious juices that Sandra and her husband make at their own company using the imperfect carrots from the farm. Without a doubt everyone felt at home and was glad to get our shoes a bit dirty and talking about agriculture in our respective countries. To top off our visit with Sandra, fellow Brittany Fagundes was surprised with a cabbage flower bouquet wishing her a very Happy Birthday in Lithuania.

The wheels on the bus went round and round and we found ourselves at the Vytaus Magnus University. The University has an Agriculture Academy that focuses on innovation on farms and valuable degrees for students studying agriculture. We had an instant connection as soon as we learned that the Academy has a partnership with UC Davis. The research projects we learned about were hydroponic grown feeds for livestock, creation of new organic fertilizers, non-arable technologies, recycling of by products, and ways to eliminate food waste.

The Chancellor of the University spoke about the value of their agriculture degrees and programs. They have a total of 14 State Universities in Lithuania, and VMU is among the top with a education model similar to that of Harvard University. In our discussion with the Chancellor we were very surprised to learn that as a landowner in Lithuania you can not own more than 500ha. While we thought that was a restrictive regulation it shows their desire to focus on small farms and a more regionally based food supply.

We concluded the evening with a Lithuanian feast and a discussion with the Director of Eko Agros, the organic certifying agency of Lithuania.

The PFs definitely tested the “chill factor” of European culture as PF James kept asking our guide questions and when he asked what time we needed to be back on the bus after lunch the response was “when you finish”.

Cheers from Kuanas Lithuania,

Lesa, James and Jared

PF Superstars

Breaking Bread, Lithuanian Style!

We started our morning leaving behind the beautifully inspired Art Nouveau buildings of Riga and made our way to Bauska. In Bauska is where we met with the Farmers’ Parliament (ZSA). The ZSA is the most influential and constructive non-governmental organization of agricultural and horticultural produce producers in Latvia. The ZSA was founded in 1999, uniting 134 strong and far-sighted farms with a common goal – to fight for the interests of Latvian farmers and to strengthen the competitiveness of Latvian farmers. Currently, the union brings together around 800 purposeful members representing all agricultural sectors.

The aim of the organization is to support Latvian agriculture and horticulture by promoting stable and sustainable growth for Latvian farmers!

The main work of the ZSA is representation of interests of Latvian farmers, involvement in the legislative process at the level of national and European Union (EU).

Following our meeting with the ZSA we had the opportunity to meet with the Latvian Rural Womens Association. This association specializes in aiding aspiring business owners to realize their dream of owning their own business. Through tools such as micro-credit loans, education, and business plan development just to name a few.

Next we were fortunate to meet with the Mayor of Bauska, Mr. Arnolds Jatnieks. The first term Mayor in his second year is extreme enthusiastic about what is to come in Bauska. As a former Farmer he has a deep connection with the needs of the farmers where he has earned their trust to negotiate in their behalf at the big EU stage.

Later in the evening we made our way to the Radviliskia Bakery where we were greeted by Father Gediminas Jankunas where we discussed the role of religion and leading to social change. He is currently presiding in his catholic perish for his eighth year. He discussed the importance of a living community, that you have to work along side the people .... you have to make the community their home. “If you don’t have a community, you don’t have a culture.”

We were extremely fortunate to spend time with the Bakery Owners Audrone and Albinas Kisielis. They opened their hearts and home to us. Teaching us the ways they have baked traditional Lithuanian bread for generations, followed by a true Lithuanian feast and it would not be a Lithuania party without their traditional dances and homemade Rugei Vyshnios. Bread is more than just bread, it is sacred to them. “Depth of the soul is very close to bread”

Your PF’s

Adam M, Betty, and Steve D

“What if it works”

Our time in Estonia concluded with a meeting at the e-Estonia Briefing Centre. Estonia is the most-advanced digital society in the world. What does this mean?

Nearly all government services of Estonian life are available through the internet and the associated records digitized and interconnected- from birth records, medical history, to vehicle registration and paying taxes. Every citizen (and non-residents) is provided an electronic access card with a unique e-identity and have access to an online portal in which their personal, business, and contractual information is housed.

The purpose of the briefing center, which operates as a non-governmental organization (NGO), is to educate other societies and governments about what is needed to accelerate digitizing, from policy making to overcoming challenges.

Imagine logging into a portal and filing your taxes in minutes, applying for a hunting license at the press of a button, and having your complete medical history at your fingertips - all in one convenient, and highly secure online portal. This is the way Estonians have operated for decades since regaining their independence in the 1990s. And, in part to cement themselves as the Silicon Valley of the EU, they are pushing other nations to follow their lead. After all, as more countries implement the e-Estonia model, the potential for seamless, digital commerce and relations between nations could, theoretically, be seamless.

So, why haven’t more nations gone the way of a digital society? Specifically, why does the U.S. continue to operate in the paper world if the benefits of digitizing are so great?

Many of us quipped that the sheer size and population of the U.S. is an obstacle to adopting such a system. We were interested to learn, however, that digitizing knows no size or capacity limitation. In fact, digitizing can streamline huge bureaucracies that create the timetables we have grown accustomed to (DMV and social security lines, filing taxes, applying for regulatory permits, etc.) We accept that any interaction with the government takes a lot of time and will probably be delayed. These issues are avoided in a digitized society.

Questions dealing with security of private information are a non-issue. Security breaches simply don’t happen. The decentralized data encryption on the e-Estonia platform is, they claim, more secure than a paper document or scanned PDF file.

So, if a digital society is possible and the concerns are all addressed, why have we Americans not followed this Baltic state into the digital world?

We discussed two potential reasons:

1. Politics, particularly our highly polarized political system

2. Separatism between states

Our class conversations after our visit mushroomed into smaller discussions on the topic and considering how U.S. culture, American civil war era, and isolationism would hinder our development and exposure to other cultures and international travel is so vital.

We all agreed that our experience thus far in Ag Leadership and on our international trip has prompted us to question ourselves and our world.

Do we ask “what if it doesn’t work?” when we should be asking “what if it does work?”

The Estonians believe it is ingrained in their culture to take risks and ask “what if it works.”

Perhaps our own forefathers were more inclined to think this way than our current society.

After a very engaging morning and lunch discussion in Estonia, we made our way to Latvia after lunch. The Class requested a brief stop on the drive to see the Baltic Sea, and continued to Riga. We checked into our hotels and then promptly started a driving/walking tour of the beautiful city of Riga. From learning about the Art Nouveau architecture in Riga’s city center and the influence of architect Mikhail Eisenstein on many of the city’s beautiful buildings to exploring within the medieval city walls, the tour was a brief but informative introduction to Riga and Latvia. Our evening concluded with a dinner at a Medieval restaurant. Tomorrow we continue exploring Latvia and continue to Lithuania!

Your PFs,

Adam, Alyssa, and Kate

Day 8: Half way…Half day…

Our glorious day started with a free morning. Some people spent time catching up on sleep, others did a brisk morning jog to the Gulf of Finland and others spent the morning getting work done. On our morning adventures many hidden gems were discovered by our class. We are at the midpoint of our trip and it was our last full day in Estonia.

For lunch we had traditional Estonian lunch of minced meat and potato casserole with kama which is a traditional Estonian dessert which is sour cream, wheat, rye, barley oat grains with yellow peas that many thought was similar to a yogurt served with black currant jam. Food has been a great experience in Estonia and has been varying each day giving us a full taste of what Estonia has to offer and the influences it has had on the culture.

After lunch we spent the remaining part of the afternoon at the Allikamaja Käsitöö. Where we got a presentation on Estonian folk art, handicrafts and the regional influences they have. We received a workshop and were taught by a master crafter on making Estonian stars where all of Class 49 participated and made their own stars which will bring us good luck for the rest of our trip. Estonian stars are meant to bring you good luck and keep away the bad luck. Traditionally you make your own for the luck to own and if you ever get rid of them, you burn them to rid of bad luck that was caught by them.

The rest of the day was filled with more free time where the class spent time buying local art, souvenirs, walking the old town and discovering small cafes. Class members visited a local orphanage where they dropped off soccer balls and pumps donated by Christian Vellanoweth of Class 46. To finish off the day, many members of Class 49 went to the Lutheran Church to view and listen to an Estonian organ concert.

Ühest keelest ei piisa kunagi…

Your presiding fellows,

Taylor, Miranda and Luis.

Day 7 - Exploring Estonia's Past & Present

Today we began our second week of adventure abroad. We began this rainy Sunday with a historical tour of Old Town Tallinn.

We began on top of Toompea Hill, nestled between Aleksander Nevski Cathedral and Toompea Castle. The castle was built sometime in the late 1700s and currently is home to the Riigikogu (the Estonian parliament). Aleksander Nevski Cathedral was modeled after St. Basil’s Cathedral that we visited last week on Red Square in Moscow. We were fortunate to be able to view a short part of a traditional Russian Orthodox liturgical service inside the beautiful sanctuary.

We continued on through the historic streets, lined in historic cobblestones, winding between buildings of a historical time. We passed by the Estonian embassies to France, Ireland, and Mexico. We rounded another corner and came to a beautiful overlook of the city of Tallinn. Nestled alongside the offices of the Prime Minister of Estonia, we were able to look over all of Old Town Tallinn, the harbor area, all the way to the dark forests of the North West. Our tour guide Jalena helped us envision Old Town Estonia in Medieval times, surrounded by stone walls and towers behind a moat. Large sections of the historic wall and towers were visible, now surrounded by residences and buildings with long histories. It was truly a magnificent view that represented the vibrant and historical pulse of the city.

We slowly wrapped down the hill past buildings of historical guilds and statues of leaders from millennia, past into the town square. It was an interesting experience, watching the city carry on as normal, while considering the conflict, camaraderie and history that occured in the same streets and corridors. We ended our tour in front of Troika, our selection for lunch and afternoon discussion.

At lunch we were joined by Ester Eomois, President of the Estonian Chapter of the Business Professional Women organization, and nine of her colleagues. Business Professional Women is an international organization that works to provide leadership skills to professional and entrepreneurial women. This is essential in Estonia where women only occupy 8% of the seats on boards of directors, the lowest number in the European Union.

Following Ester we also heard from Mari and Anu who spoke about the importance of diversity and having more women in the workforce, and the gender pay gap in Estonia (which is 26%), respectively. We concluded lunch with a Q&A period and immense respect for these Estonian leaders.

Following lunch, we had a couple of hours to explore the city on our own and ended the evening with a fine dinner at Platz Restoran. This time together gave us the opportunity to spontaneously synthesize in small groups, where many of us came to the realization that although we’ve embarked on this journey only a week ago, we’ve already shared immensely rich experiences that will only continue into our next leg of the trip.

Brean, Jake, and Steven F.

Day 6 of the International Trip and the first whole day in Estonia. What a whirl!

We started the day at the Estonian State Forest Management centre. Our hosts opened the visitor center to our class to speak to us about all of the wonders of nature in Estonia. The cleanest claimed air in the EU, was definitely appreciated after traveling through cities and on planes. Estonia being a small country they have many hiking trails that are all connected, Estonia is very flat with the highest hill being 354 meters, the trails are very easy.

The country of Estonia is covered in over 50% of Forest. The wildlife is very prevalent as well, Estonia has bears, moose, deer, many different waterfowl species and small mammals.

We continued onto the Estonia Rural Network Unit and Agriculture Research Centre in Jäneda west of Tallinn. Hearing from seven different tourism, municipality and funding organizations. The marketing and networking that these different organizations do is quite impressive and unifying. We learned many facts about different municipalities one interesting facts about Tapa municipality was the projection of population decrease by 27% in 10 years do to birth rate decrease. The agriculture production in Estonia is very strong during the summer time months with 35% of agriculture production in Sea-Buckthorn a tart little orange colored fruit.

For our lunch entertainment we had the pleasure to listen to a mandolin quartet with a base guitar. This mandolin band was part of one of the funding projects that were presented to us, Project 100. The atmosphere of the whole lunch was very old world because it was a refurbished horse stable!

We finished the day at the St. Martin’s Fair. Estonia’s best handicraft items are presented and sold at the fair as well as demonstrations and workshops. Handicrafts are homemade items by local artisans, including wool items, wood carvings, linens, ceramics and leather. Additionally, many food items are also featured, such as breads, sausages, beer and wine. St. Martin’s Day Fair always takes place during the weekend closest to St. Martin’s Day on November 10th. Class members definitely supported the local economy and purchased many goods to take home to our families.

Ma ei räägi eesti keelt,

Your Presiding Fellows Miranda, Luis and Taylor

Day 4 - Intro to Tallinn, Estonia

After a very busy, enlightening, and fantastic time in Russia, today marks the beginning of the next leg of our trip. Our class headed to the airport bright and early to board our flight into the Baltic States.

First Stop: Tallinn, Estonia. Estonia is the smallest country in the EU, with a population of 1.3 million people, becoming an independent nation once again in 1991.

As we descended back into the fog and clouds, the class was excited to dive into another culture.

Once settled in our new hotel, we quickly freshened up and put our best foot forward as we headed to the US Embassy to Estonia.

After braving the cold as we waited to pass through security, we had the unique opportunity to meet with Jami Sachs Spykerman, Public Engagement Specialist, and Andrea Lindgren, Economic/Commercial Officer. Jami and Andrea who educated us about Estonia’s successes and challenges since leaving the former Soviet Union.

Some of those most interesting discussion topics were learning about Estonia’s intriguing democratic election systems and internet-focused societies (Skype was invented here!), as well as how Jami herself a native Californian and Andrea has previously met with a California Ag Leadership class when she was stationed in Japan.

After the Embassy, we returned to the hotel and joined into a live video feed with Class 50, who was attending their first public speaking seminar in San Luis Obispo. We are thrilled to see Class 50 embark on their journey and can’t wait to see them grow and flourish in the Ag Leadership Program.

Our evening ended with a three-course dinner at Scheeli Restoran located in Old Town Tallinn, where we rehashed our whirlwind of a day while enjoying a fabulous Estonian meal and listening to a whimsical musical trio.

As a finale to the evening, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Estonians have a similar appreciation for one of California’s premier speciality crops - almonds! We sampled delectable cinnamon spice almonds that were roasted and flavored right before our eyes by a young lady in 16th century-period attire.

We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our prelude to this charming, persevering, historic yet young city. While each day is busy, we cherish each opportunity alongside each other to learn and grow and cannot wait to see what new adventures tomorrow brings.

Until tomorrow, nägemist!

- Brean Bettencourt, Steven Filter, Jake Wenger

Day 3 - Moscow

Our final day in Moscow began at the oldest university in Russia — Moscow State University (MSU). The stoic, Stalin-inspired building exhibits exactly what most Americans have in mind when they think of Russia. We were greeted by our tour guide, Egor (George) and he took us around the main campus building. We saw gorgeous lecture halls and intimate classrooms that don’t seem to have been touched since they were built in 1954 — original wooden benches and desktops included. We had the opportunity to hear from Oleg, an Economics professor at MSU, about the current social and economic status of Moscow and Russia as a whole. They were tremendously moved upon being gifted with product-filled gift bags from California.

Next, we headed out of the city to a small town about an hour away (without #moscowtraffic) called Svenigorod. This little “suburb” has experienced significant growth over the past decade, growing from 20,000 inhabitants to 100,000! Our new friend Jana took us around various “famous” location in this little town including a local restaurant owned and operated by a local city administrator (think: city councilman). We were able to dialogue with him and learn a bit more about the economics of this growing city and his entrepreneurial spirit. He even invited us to his home to share a bit more. Of course the visit wasn’t complete without a toast together with nothing but homemade vodka chased with homemade pickles.

After being in the middle of Moscow for the past couple days the visit to the suburbs was a welcomed change. The slower pace and ease of walking juxtaposed with the hustle and bustle of the capital.

Of course, since this is our last day in Russia, we closed our evening with a good ol’ fashioned, Ag Leadership synthesis where we discussed our personal experiences and takeaways with the class. Some perspective shifts, some new opinions made and overall a new love for this wonderful country was discovered.

Thank you, Russia! You have welcomed us with open arms and treated us oh so well. Next up, Estonia!

прощай россия

Cherie France, Daniel Hartwig, John Dmytriw

Ps. We had the opportunity to try reindeer for dinner tonight. Fun fact: it tastes like Christmas!

Day 2- Climate Change, Lavka Lavka, Bunker 42 & the Russian Ballet

Climate Change

The day started by broadening our perspective on the challenging issue of climate change at HSE University. Dr. George Safonov, Director of National Research, Center for Environmental and Natural Resource Economics shared his knowledge and passion on the topic with us. Dr. Safonov travels around the world to see the impacts of climate change firsthand, collect vital data, and collaborate with other countries to find potential solutions.

Lavka Lavka

Next stop, the portlandia of Russia - Lavka-Lavka. Talk about the Farm to fork movement taking place in Moscow! We kicked off our experience at this restaurant with a new Russian cuisine lunch composed of ingredients hailed from nearby farms. According to our waiter, every item on the menu lists the farmer who has produced the protein or produce you are consuming. This concept is quite new to Russia - allowing you to trace the farm products back to their origin in Russia. Neat!

During our delicious lunch, the waiter described the idea behind Lavka Lavka and how their mission is to provide more transparency to consumers on where their food comes from.

Bunker 42

Class 49 experienced a little taste of Russian roulette as we toured one of the original bunkers built during the Cold War. Joseph Stalin ordered the construction of Bunker 42 to serve as the secret soviet command center following the potential of a nuclear attack.

Impressively constructed, nearly 70 meters deep, the bunker resonated with our class serving as a reminder of tumultuous times for both our countries. For any history buff this is a must see with a nice surprise as the tour ends...

The Russian Ballet

Much to our surprise and delight the ballet production turned out to be the famed Nutcracker! What an amazing ending to a jam packed day.

Your Presiding Fellows,

—Laura, Sara & Daryn

Day 1 - Moscow

One of the AG leadership sayings for the international portion of the program is “pack your patience”. And this morning, we were ushered into that “packing” process while also learning about the ever-famous Moscow traffic. Our bus was almost an hour late due to an accident on the highway making us an hour late to our first meeting of the trip at the US Embassy. #packyourpatience

We finally got on the road and made it to the U.S. Embassy to meet with Charge d’ Affaires, Julie Fisher. She is currently head of Mission for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. Her role is interim Ambassador for the United States to the Russian Federation, and President Trumps representative for Russian affairs. In her role she oversees all U.S. Government employees while in Russia. She was extremely warm and spent ample time answering questions from the class. She explained the role that leadership plays in both diplomacy and staffing within government agencies. While her position is a temporary one until the confirmation of John Sullivan as Ambassador is solidified, she explained that the building of trust between nations is ongoing. The topic of the day was trust and building bridges for continued dialogue.

Next up, a visit to the Kremlin, Red Square and (the crowd-favorite) St. Basil’s Cathedral... and the fact that it was a night visit was just the cherry on top. Along the walk we happened upon the changing of the guards at the Russian Eternal Flame. Those men have toe-points that are impressive and on-point.

We finished the jam-packed day at a lovely dinner with Olga Bashmachnikova from an organization called AKKOR (The Agricultural Cooperatives of Russia). We learned about her organization and how they function around the government. Her message of intereliance and building relationships was on point for a delegation such as ours. Expect to see them soon at a California farm or ranch near you.

Overall, the first 24 hours have been insightful and mind-blowing. Many new perspectives are in process of forming and it’s exciting to see this country and culture in a new light.

доброй ночи

Your PFs,

Cherie France, John Dmytriw, Daniel Hartwig

Ps. Special thanks to our adopted fellow and fantastic co-traveler from Class 42 for spending her birthday with us in Moscow! We love you, Rachelle!

Moscow, Class 49 has arrived! Many emotions were present at the start of the day. Heartfelt goodbyes to our families, paired with enthusiasm and excitement once we reconnected with our fellows. After a very long flight, we are excited for the international seminar to commence, but catching up on some zzz’s first would do everyone some good! Good evening Moscow, good morning California!

Your Pfs,

Adam, Daryn, and Sara

*tap tap tap* is this thing on?! Because Class 49 is BACK in the BLOGosphere just in time for our international seminar to Russia and The Baltic States. While away, we look forward to sharing our experiences and take-aways with you here in this little corner of the internet. In the mean time, we’ve included a high-level itinerary on the when and where surrounding our trip:

November 3: Depart LAX  November 4-8: Moscow, Russia   November 8-12: Tallinn, Estonia  November 12-13: Riga, Latvia   November 13-14: Panevezys, Lithuania November 14-15: Kaunas, Lithuania  November 15-19: Vilnius, Lithuania  November 19: Arrive LAX

We are excited to head out in just a few short days. Until then, you can find Class 49 fellows practicing their Russian, packing layers on layers on layers (because #coldweather), and beaming with excitement to experience and learn from the folks and cultures we’ll encounter.

T-minus 9 days!

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