Dublin: the Best Experience of my Life! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I went to ACD for eight weeks and took four classes, so I had one class at a time and each lasted for two weeks. The coursework was primarily done in class, with a bit of homework (such as a paper or two, a presentation, and/or some readings) to do outside of class. This was because ACD strongly encourages students to learn by exploring the city of Dublin. They do this by arranging field trips as a class/school to multiple museums (such as the National Gallery, the National History, and the Natural History museums), points of interest within the city center of Dublin (such as Dublin Castle and Croke Park), and even to places to view Dublin's natural beauty (such as Bray Head). Teaching styles varied by class, but largely relied upon lecture or discussion and film-watching. And the grading system was number-based with different values correlating to our letter grades--but overall, all of the grades transferred correctly.

On-site administration of your program

I felt very comfortable going to ACD because they made a great effort to contact everyone and begin informing them about Dublin before we even left. I knew that I could contact the program director if I had any problems, and throughout I often stopped by his office to talk to him about things that were going on. He was constantly accessible and extremely helpful. He also helped to engage us in activities around the city by telling us about events that were occurring every week, as well as by coordinating activities that we could participate in, such as learning how to play Gaelic football and hurling. I feel like he helped me to make the most out of my trip to Dublin.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Although all of the students went to school in the United States, many were born in other countries, so we were able to meet and live with a variety of international students. The apartment itself had a full I(and fully-stocked) kitchen, living room, two bathrooms, and even a balcony. The only things we had to buy were laundry detergent to wash our clothes, dish detergent for the dishwasher, and the food to cook--though we did have to bring our own bedding and towels. Furthermore, our flat was located just one street away from Grafton Street! It was set in a perfect location becuase although it was about a ten-minute walk from the school, all types of shops, parks, restaurants, and even clubs were within blocks of our flat. Plus, even though we were extremely close to the nightlife, I still felt safe in the locked apartment.

Due to our full and fully-stocked kitchen, they suggested a place to buy groceries. This worked extremely well because we were able to cook our own food, which helped us to save money. Restaurants were also extremely close, just steps away from our flat; though it was left to us to explore and decide where to eat as few suggestions were given about dining.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There were so many amazing experiences in Dublin. First, the entire school took the train and then hiked up to Bray Head. Also, we went on a musical and litereary pub crawl in order to learn about Irish history and culture while making our way to some of the most famous pubs. We also got to try playing Gaelic football and hurling, which was made even more memorable as we were told when the actual games were being held in Croke Park and thus got to see real athletes play the game.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not need any vaccines, nor was I sick at all during this trip, so I cannot comment about healthcare. However, in regards to safety, I felt extremely comfortable in Dublin. Both in my flat at any time of the day or night, as well as on the streets, I never felt scared or intimidated, particularly when I was with my peers. However, though I say that, I would recommend that no one ever walks the streets, especially at night, alone.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Select all that apply

• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Americans
• Other

• The friendliness and helpfulness of the ACD staff.
• The classes were great: extremely interesting and the classes were small so teachers got to know and would help the students.
• The different travel/touring opportunities I had within Dublin and Ireland.

• There could be more social activities planned in order to bring the students (and even the staff) together and help them to get to know each other.