My experience in Ireland was something I’ll never forget. The program was well organized, and we were exposed to so much. Not only equine-related activities but general Ireland/culture-related things as well.

We spent 17 days in Ireland, and it went by so fast but was also such an important part of my education and life. I felt like the assignments were a good balance between having me reflect on what we learned and not feeling overwhelmed by work while abroad.

It made me realize how successful the equine industry was outside of America and inspired me to bring back some of the things I learned in Ireland. It also solidified my interest in animal welfare and animal rights and made me more motivated to pursue that career path.

Personally, this program was a good reminder to keep an open mind and not be so quick to judge. Whether that is a person, a practice, a certain discipline, or something else, it is important to learn as much as possible about something before making a judgment call.

Ireland was an extremely nice host country. It was interesting to see how much pride they have in their country and their traditions. Everyone made it a point for us to feel welcome and wanted to show us a good time.

I think if education abroad is something you’re interested in at all, make sure to pursue it. There are people and ways to help you finance a program and work it into your education. It will not make you take longer to graduate it could speed up the process. While abroad I was also taking an online class that was completely unrelated to the program and I had plenty of time to work on it while still enjoying my traveling.

Lastly, it was a great opportunity to meet other people in my major and hear their different perspectives on things. They are people I know I will stay friends with or have as contacts through the rest of my college career. This applies to the program directors as well.

Name: Sasha Johnson
Status: Junior
Majors: Animal Science and Journalism
Hometown: East Lansing, Michigan
Program: Exploring Irish Horse Industries