"Coffee, chocolate and cannabis" may sound like some people's idea of a good way to spend a weekend. But, for one Florida Gulf Coast University senior, it summarizes the focus of an immersive study-abroad program examining agroecology and entrepreneurship in the mountains of Thailand.
Nathan South, an Honors College biology major minoring in entrepreneurship, spent six weeks over the summer learning about Thailand's coffee, chocolate and cannabis industries and their history, production processes and economic significance.
The opportunity was made possible by the International Sustainable Development Studies Institute based in northern Thailand, with support from FGCU's study abroad advisors in the Global Engagement Office who first told South about the program. The institute provides programs focused on ecological, cultural and sustainability issues in collaboration with Thai communities.
Born in Hawaii and raised in Tampa, South also completed an internship while in Thailand, working on a coffee farm and conducting research on how coffee is grown and how it gets its flavor.
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