Small Moments, Large Impact – A Final Reflection from Thomas Gabel

As I take time to reflect on the past month, I simply cannot believe how different things would be if I decided to pass on this life-changing experience.

Over the past five years, a good portion of my time has been dedicated towards activities through the National FFA Organization. As that chapter came to a close with my retirement as a Pennsylvania State FFA Officer in June, I found myself struggling to find my place. However, I was blessed with the chance to find a home in a different facet amongst the agricultural education community. This experience has been the perfect transition for me as I prepare to tackle four years at The Pennsylvania State University.

How do you capture all of the feelings, emotions, lessons learned, connections made, and impact felt over the course of one month?

The ability to make lasting friendships with agricultural and life skills educators in both Malaysia and the United States is so special, that I cannot capture the feeling properly in words. Somewhere in between developing lesson plans, interacting with students in the classroom, and all of the traveling, cultural experiences, and conversation in between, I found myself growing and learning in order to better myself as a future agricultural educator and agent of change for the next generation of leaders in the classroom. And while that is fantastic, it still does not solve the problem of how to capture the authentic #AgEd2Malaysia experience. However, sometimes the smallest of moments can leave you speechless, and these moments truly bring to life my journey in Malaysia

Students are the future of this world. How lucky are we to have been able to interact with schools across Malaysia and to teach in three of them! At each and every school, I have been amazed at the passion and dedication of each student towards expanding their horizons and learning more about agriculture and the world around them. I also came to realize how similar students everywhere are, as I shared a moment discussing Fortnite, dance moves and Shawn Mendes at Kolej Vokasional Dato’ Lela Maharaja. These individuals have the passion, humor, and dedication to make an impact on this world and I have been blessed to get to know them.

The aquaculture class after our lesson on innovations in agriculture!

Childhood excitement leads to adulthood joy. Growing up, I had dreams and aspirations of becoming a paleontologist and therefore made sure to study everything there was to know about dinosaurs with the assistance of many documentaries. Somewhere along the line, I became fascinated by a certain bird that shares some commonalities with the legendary velociraptor.

As our group ventured into Kuala Lumpur’s Bird Park, I never could have imagined that this very bird would be waiting for me. With Shelby and Kaitlin as witnesses (and due to the superior scouting of Dr. Husna), I found myself rushing to and marveling at the world’s most dangerous bird, the cassowary. This mesmerizing specimen’s middle claw has the ability to cut through most surfaces and can prove deadly. After spending over 40 minutes admiring this bird, Manny and I found ourselves passing the exhibit later as the cassowary showed off its territorial call, registering at around 23 Hz. Pure fascination is something that is rarely attainable, but happened multiple throughout this trip, whether it was pineapples, mangroves, cultural exchanges or a cassowary.

 

Lifelong friends and one of kind socks!

Socks can bring tears. Everywhere I go I buy socks. From Indianapolis, the Statue of Liberty, the U.S. Capitol Building, Boston and even a layover in Amsterdam, I have purchased socks to document my time there. Much to my dismay, touristic socks are nearly impossible to find in Malaysia, even at places such as the Bird Park (cassowary socks would have blown my mind), the Petronas Twin Towers, Sabah, Melaka and any other location we visited. Defeated, I was prepared to board my flight heading back home without any socks. Until a few individuals left me completely speechless, as Yazlin, Fatin and Suhanna risked missing our bus earlier to rush back into a store, purchase socks, and then transform into custom Malaysian socks. It is little things like this that show how amazing our friends at UTM and in Malaysia truly are. Forever thankful.

Family transcends all borders. After over a week spent at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, our group transitioned into the FELDA Ayer Hitam community for a homestay. I had no idea what to expect, but what I found has impacted me for the rest of my life. Love is universal and can be shared with every individual you come into contact with. My new family of Ayah, Ibu, Eno and Izzat showed Huzaimi and myself nothing but love, hospitality and compassion as they opened their home to two complete strangers.
Huzaimi and I’s new family

Over the course of four days, we shared many laughs, stories and Izzat found a way to beat me in every game he could think of. These four days showed me how small the world really is when you are lucky enough to find people who will share their love. As Huzaimi and I prepared to depart, we were given some parting gifts, including a stitched cat(in the spirit of the family’s two cats, Baby Shark and Mamma Meow) with a quote that nearly brought me to tears.

“Life is full of quiet moments,
big dreams, joyous laughter, heartfelt tears.”

As this experience ends, I am left to ponder this phrase once again and am thankful for all of these moments that I have experienced with all of you. Here is to all of the memories to be made and new opportunities to tackle.

Thomas Gabel (gabel_thomas) is a pre-service agricultural education candidate(#psuaged22) at The Pennsylvania State University(@TeachAgPSU).

 

Bonus Blog! Discovering the Dairy Industry in Malaysian Borneo

Since we arrived in Malaysia 18 days ago, we had not seen a single dairy operation in the state of Johor (bottom left of map), which is the southern-most point of peninsular Malaysia (and Asia). We have recently traveled to the state of Sabah (top right), 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 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 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 

    Tire wash upon entering DESA Dairy
  • 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)
  • The 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)
2 modern free-stall barns greeted the group upon arrival to DESA Dairy at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu in Kundasang, Sabah.

The free-stall 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 hay (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.

Cow comfort was a high priority at DESA Dairy. Note the rotating spin brush, modern free-stall design, and salt block along the gate.
Halal processing of products was very evident at all food facilities in Malaysia. DESA Dairy was no exception and included the words “Fresh, Hygenic, Halal” in all of their marketing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

Double 20 parallel milking parlor

The value and commitment from DESA food products has established their name in many households throughout Sabah, Malaysia. Their products of consumption are safe and halal status. Their commitment to a halal status is a preferred supplier 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 law.  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 of 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.

 

 

This team bonus blog entry was authored by:

  • Ms. Kristi Mensen (@Kristi_Mensen), Iowa State Pre-Service Agricultural Education Teacher Candidate

  • Mr. Thomas Gabel (@Gabel_Thomas, Penn State Pre-Service Agricultural Education Candidate

  • Ms. Darla Romberger, @DJR_131), rockstar Pennsylvania secondary Agriscience educator.


Reflecting on a New Family – Much Love on Day 19

The world is so much more than what we see in our own backyards.

Being nineteen years old,  the opportunity to travel over 9,000 miles away from home can be quite intimidating. As I was finalizing my preparations prior to the experience, one overwhelming fear came over me. What will the people of Malaysia be like? Fear of the unknown can be a powerful thing, but it is when we test that fear, that we can discover beautiful possibilities.

While I was terrified to spend a month in a new country, having a group of kind, caring, and skilled participants from the United States helped me to calm my nerves slightly. The very moment we stepped off the airplane into Johor Bahru, my fears evaporated.

These past few weeks have been filled with laughter, learning and a lot of love, due in large part to all of our friends at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Every single day, we have been shown the utmost hospitality, but it does not stop with our friends.

Two days into the experience, the team decided to embark upon a bike tour of UTM’s campus. However, one small problem arose, I never learned how to ride a bike. But never fear, as the man, the myth, the legend, Wan Mohammad Ali Wan Mohammad Zaharuddin (better known as ALI) was there to teach me the ways of bike riding. My trainer soon became played out amidst constantly trying to keep my bicycle upright as I struggled to balance. This is when a random family took time out of their day, to teach a stranger to ride a bicycle. The next hour was spent with this family and Ali cheering me on as I made progress but still have much to learn.  How likely would that happen back in the United States? Through our experiences here, it is almost a normal occurrence.

A great day improving my bicycling skills with new friends!

I will fully admit that my knowledge of  Islamic faith was filled with only the what was shared in our U.S. daily news cycles.  I had shared the same apprehension when discussing their religion when asked about it. I was completely wrong to think that way.

Famous actor and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda once stated in a speech given at the Tony’s that “Love is Love is Love is Love is Love,” and this statement has never meant more than it has during this trip.

Because people are people. From every corner of this Earth, there are individuals out there, who only want to make the world a better place and share their love. We all want to be loved and need to do more to find these people and break out of our scared shells caused by only seeing what is in our backyards. I consider myself blessed to have been able to find some of the greatest people on this trip.

A group dedicated to improving the world through agricultural education! (At our first school visit, SMK Telok Kerang!)

There are good and bad people in every religion and faith in the world, but we cannot let the bad overshadow the good. No matter how many differences can be spotted, this experience has allowed my new family to grow, with members of many different faiths. I cannot wait to see how every single individual on this trip shares their love going forward. Here is to a strong finish and more adventures to come with this family even after our experience concludes.

 

Thomas Gabel (@gabel_thomas) is a pre-service agricultural education candidate (#psuaged22) at The Pennsylvania State University (@TeachAgPSU).

Harmony Street, Cultural Experiences and Everything in Between: Day 7 on the streets of Johor Bahru

It amazes me as to how much can happen in just one day. Today we were blessed with an opportunity to tour the city of Johor Bahru and gain some deep cultural knowledge along the way.

The Crown of Johor

 

To begin our tour, we made a quick stop by the Sultan’s Palace (the Sultan being similar to our Governors back home as they are heads of individual states). During our time there we were able to take pictures with The Royal Crown of Johor and witness a guard check routine.

 

 

Sand being moved onto the Strait of Johor

Up next, we took a moment to visit a local mosque under restorative reconstruction, but became fascinated with an outreach of sand in the direction of nearby Singapore. Earlier in the experience, we visited the southernmost tip of Mainland Asia in Tanjung Pia National Park, from which you can see three countries, Indonesia, Singapore and of course, Malaysia. However, as Malaysia imports sand from Indonesia to cover the Strait of Johor, the new southernmost tip could very well become Singapore. This political battle began with Singapore attempting to claim land in the strait in the early 2000’s, but Malaysia has begun efforts of their own in recent years. Also in this strait is actually a handful of fish farms!

After being awed by political developments and fish, we began a new adventure, towards Harmony Street. There has never been a street more aptly named than Harmony Street. Over the course of the afternoon, we were able to visit the Johor Old Chinese Temple (Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism); Arulmigu Raja Mariamman Indian Temple (Hinduism), and Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple (Sikhism). [Editor’s note: Be sure to click the hyperlinks to learn more about each religion or religious facility!]. All of which were within a ten-minute walk of one another.

The inclusivity, love, and friendliness shown by this city had all of our participants smiling and contemplating deeper meanings. For instance, we were greeted outside of the Sikh Temple by a gentleman who serves as a youth leader at this specific temple. He then spent the next hour with our group as he explained the history of his religion and brought us inside, even with a couple’s engagement service happening! The entire group welcomed us with open arms as they finished their service and started their meal. A question posed by our group was “if twenty plus strangers walked into a wedding service back home. What would peoples’ reaction be?” Some excellent food for thought.

Speaking of food, we were then able to grab a quick lunch and get fueled up before visiting the Johor Heritage Center. Once there we learned more about their goals of preserving Malaysian traditions and heritage, followed by seeing their weaving exhibition. But finally, the moment we all had been waiting for, time for dance class. In the span of one hour, our group successfully learned a form of Zapin (of which there are 14 types), as we slowly walked and squatted our ways to a successful leg day.

To top off this culturally full day, we were able to shop for some batiks of our own! However as Huzaimi (@zemimazlan), Dr. Foster (@FosterDanielD), and Ali (@AliZaharuddin97) know well, shopping can be exhausting.

Another great day of learning here in Malaysia, with new experiences and plenty of amazing people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas Gabel (@Gabel_Thomas); Pre-Service Agricultural Education Candidate(#psuaged22);The Pennsylvania State University(@penn_state)(@TeachAgPSU)

 

Transcending Borders: Sports, Music and Entertainment in Malaysia

It is hard to believe that in just three days, we will embark for a month filled with new friends, experiences, and learning opportunities.

I am incredibly excited to take part in my first international experience, and when thinking about what I would like to learn about this country before arriving, a couple key focus points came to mind.

During my time in high school, I was involved in a variety of clubs and intra/extra-curricular activities. Three in particular have helped me to develop into the individual I am today. One of which I can talk about for days, the National FFA Organization and its dedication to premier leadership, personal growth, and career success. However, I find myself not giving enough praise to these other two activities, football and the music department. Each of which have helped me to step out of my comfort zones, expand my horizons, and make some lifelong friends. After thinking about how much of an impact sports and music have had on my life, I began to wonder what athletics, music and entertainment look like in Malaysia.

To my surprise, many sports that we participate in here in the United States are also commonly played in Malaysia. These sports include the following: soccer (or football), badminton, baseball, bowling, field hockey, tennis, squash, golf, horse riding, sailing, martial arts, and even skateboarding! While we may not see individuals running down a sideline to score a touchdown, the country takes great pride in its own football team, despite currently being ranked 171 in the world by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association).

The Malaysian National Football Team

Football is by far the most popular sporting event in the country, but Malaysia is also home to some pretty interesting sports of their own. Some of my personal favorites are sepak manggis, sepak takraw and top spinning.

Sepak Manggis is basically an extreme version of beating a piñata, except with the target being ten meters in the air. Participants will form a circle and attempt to kick a ball so it strikes a floral carrier being hung from a pole. The winner is whomever strikes the carrier first and then wins all the contents inside.

Sepak Takraw has also caught the interest of Mr. Carson Letot, and has fascinated me as well. It is scored like badminton but is played like volleyball, just without the use of arms or hands.

Then there is top spinning, which is an intense competition to see who has mastered the art of spinning a top for the longest amount of time, however, these tops are much bigger than the ones we have at home (see the bottom picture below).

Not only do these sports entertain the public, but as does music! Attached below is a link to the 30 current most downloaded songs in Malaysia, which we may hear as we traverse the country.

Top 30 Singles Chart Malaysia

This download list contains many songs from Malaysian artists, but also artists such as Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello. This goes to show how music can truly transcend oceans, especially in an era that includes ITunes, Spotify and Pandora.

 

Finally, the country of Malaysia is filled with many different traditional dances, but what could be more entertaining than a dragon dance?

Incredibly excited to experience all that Malaysia has to offer, but so happy to see how sports, music and even dance can bring smiles to faces all across the globe. Cannot wait!

-Thomas