Amherst College Global Education Blog
By Malva Wieck ’25, GEO Communications Intern I was standing in the middle of the Dubai airport, phone in one hand, overpriced coffee in the other. I had one final push to get to Zanzibar–the destination of my first study away program. Slightly frantic due to lack of sleep, I attempted to text my parents that I had landed
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By Kate Becker ’26 Amid towering poplar trees, locals and tourists drink beers, listen to music, and zip by on bikes along a winding path. Mothers push baby strollers. Elementary students join a scavenger hunt. Sunbathers enjoy the last rays on flower-covered fields. Beneath them, thousands of Danes lie buried. Among them is philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Niels
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By: Ruth Zuraw ’25 (studied in Paris, France with APA) The sound of muffled conversations filled the theater as I stood just outside the door, heart pounding. I had been in Paris for only a few weeks, but tonight felt like a turning point. I was about to enter a discussion event on Jewish themes in representation and art—my first
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By Tim Carroll ’25 Ah, it’s so good to be back, but it’s even better to see you again. My life recently has been marked by clichés. During my semester abroad, in the winter to summer of 2024, underneath the dreaming spires of Oxford University, I turned over the familiar phrases in my head — “Distance makes the heart grow
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Over two years have passed since I returned from studying sustainable development in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Since then, I graduated with a degree in environmental studies and took a post-bac job at Amherst College’s Office of Sustainability as the Sustainability Green Dean. All of these experiences are fueled by my lifelong interest in the environment, but they’re also influenced by
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One morning, I was walking to class and saw a large crowd of people, dozens of police cars, and Spanish flags everywhere, chanting in front of a building next to my classroom. Thinking it was an event for the city, I naively joined the crowd, not realizing what I had gotten myself into. I had walked straight into a protest.
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After concluding my semester in Salamanca, Spain, I’ve grown tremendously, not only as a student but as an individual. Throughout my time abroad, I faced tough challenges and had the best moments of my life. This experience of overcoming obstacles in a foreign country and sharing priceless moments with the people I met in Salamanca made my time abroad so
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This mural titled Somos conexión (We are connection) was painted by artist Raúl Ruiz, who is more commonly known as el niño de las pinturas (the boy of the paintings). This artwork depicts a young boy who seems like a foreigner in Spain, touching upon the theme of immigration in the nation. This boy carries a series of animals, including
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Landing at Kingsford Smith Airport around midnight and checking into my accommodation at UNSW Village was over four months ago now, but it feels like just four days ago. Unfortunately, my time Down Under has come to a close. Hence, it’s time to reflect on my incredible experiences and unforgettable memories that have shaped my study away. I will always
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I still vividly remember that train ride back to Salamanca from Madrid, where a casual conversation transformed into one of the most memorable moments during my time abroad. After a long weekend in Barcelona, I was exhausted and looking forward to a quiet train ride back to Salamanca until someone sat down beside me and started a conversation. He initially
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