Study abroad experiences, relatively rare in chemistry programs and encouraged by the American Chemical Society, are a way to advance the cultural competence of students. We describe a study abroad experience that includes an upper level chemistry course on fermentation. Many articles have described the integration of fermentation into lecture and lab classes, providing instructors with resources for course development. The described course demonstrates several novel features: a model for the development of a study abroad experience, a strategy for increasing student enrollment, and a mechanism to ensure student engagement with the fermentation content before and during the study abroad trip.