Sophia Bloom

Studied abroad at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland during Spring 2023 

My experience studying abroad in Ireland allowed me to meet new, interesting people and gain a fuller perspective in the world. I spent most of my time abroad traveling around Europe and visiting a variety of different countries. My favorite things I did while traveling abroad were visiting museums to learn more about the countries I was in, and going out at night to meet local people. I also was very lucky to have many of my friends and family visit me, and it was so nice to have a piece of home come to me while I was away. This allowed me to feel connected to home, while learning about the culture and people I was surrounded by. Living in another country was very enriching and I was able to learn about differences in perspective between American and Irish culture. This really helped me think about my perspectives on the world and what is objective reality as opposed to culturally engrained opinions. I would highly recommend every student to consider studying abroad and expanding their education to a new environment.  

In the future, I hope to become a Peace Corps volunteer and then get a master’s in business administration. Eventually, I would like to work in the management of a nonprofit or intergovernmental organization that works on international women’s poverty. I am currently completing my honor thesis on inventory systems and consistent hygiene access with the Amherst Survival Center.