TMLC is proud to be participating in an international cultural exchange program hosting three cultural exchange interns from around the world for a 6 month paid internship. This program was developed to provide young adults with career building skills in the landscaping and agricultural industry. We are very excited to participate in this program with a fantastic group of young men.
"CAEP brings young adults together from all over the world to share and learn ideas, beliefs, and agricultural practices through international paid agriculture exchange programs. Our vision is to interconnect our world peacefully through our paid agriculture exchange programs in order for our exchange visitors to identify themselves as world citizens transcending from any geographical, cultural or political borders."
The first TMLC cultural exchange intern we would like to introduce is Cuthbert Mwalongo. Cuthbert joins us from Morogoro, Tanzania, located in eastern Africa. Tanzania is home to Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti where agriculture is the dominant industry.
Cuthbert holds a bachelor of science in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness from Sokoine University. He joins us to learn new technology and landscaping processes with the goal of opening his own lawn and landscaping business in Tanzania. His previous experience in agriculture focused on management and administrative tasks and he is excited to round out his training with more hands on and practical processes as well as irrigation and business management skills.
This is Cuthbert’s first time in the United States and he has been impressed with the infrastructure we have in place as well as the friendliness he has encountered. He is missing his parents and siblings and home cooked meals the most! We are excited to have Cuthbert on our team and look forward to sharing our expertise and culture with him.
The next intern joining our team is Jhonson Augustin, who is excited to spend time in Gainesville from home in the Caribbean island nation of Haiti. Jhonson holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and environmental science from the American University of the Caribbean. He is participating in this cultural exchange internship to acquire more knowledge and work skills that he will be able to bring back to his home country and share those skills with others.
Jhonson is very family and community centered, his parents currently own small agricultural farm producing vertiver, a plant that helps to stabilize soil and protect against erosion. This is his first time in the US and he has been impressed by our road and transportation infrastructure. Jhonson says “The one that I will never forget is when my host, Rusty Thompson came to pick me up when I arrived at Jacksonville. I amazed because he came in his private plane! I had never been in private plane before.”
In his training here Jhonson is looking forward to learning all that he can about the landscape industry including how to set an irrigation system, landscape techniques, pest control and equipment use.
Last but not least we are happy to introduce you to Marco Tulio, who joins us from his home country of Brazil where he studied at one of the most prestigious Agronomy programs at Federal University of Viçosa. Marco’s career goals are to enter the landscaping market in Alta in Brazil. He hopes to take TMLC practices and philosophy with him to develop a similar structure in his home country. The teamwork and relationship building lessons he is developing in this program are a fundamental part in his eyes to achieving this goal.
His first time in America he is finding many differences from his home and impressed with the organization and accessibility he is finding. He is greatly missing his family and particulary his weekly gathering for a meal with his family at his grandparent’s home.
It is an honor to have these exceptional young men here with us and we are excited to provide skills and learning to assist them in their future career aspirations. We have been incredibly impressed by their consistently positive attitudes, strong work ethic and true team spirit. As we share our skills and assist them in learning more about our home town, we look forward to all that we will learn from them as well. We hope that you will reach out and say hello to Cuthbert, Jhonson and Marco when you see them on your property!