Amazing Experience! Past Review
By Grace A (PSYCHOLOGY., Mount St. Mary's University) - abroad from 09/15/2011 to 12/17/2011 with
American College Dublin: Irish Language & Culture Program
Studying abroad in Dublin was one of the best decisions I ever made! Studying in Dublin changed my life for the better. I couldn't imagine going through life today without the amazing opportunity that I was given! I learned so much about myself and how I can handle being in a setting that was new and different to me. I grew tremendously as a person. Very worthwhile. I loved it to the moon and back!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were very long, but they only met twice a week, so there werent any Friday classes. It really gave the students to travel or experience Dublin at a more leisurely pace. I do wish that I got to have more classes with Irish students instead of the ones that I came to Dublin with through my university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Colum Cronin knows his stuff. You could even ask him about logistics for another country and he could tell you the best possible route to go there. He, along with the rest of the ACD staff, have a great concern for the study abroad students well-being and academics. ACD is a small school, so practically every teacher and staff member knows you, which is desirable in a country that is unfamiliar to you! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our apartment was placed in the center of the city, right off of Grafton Street. We were in close proximity to any and everything in Dublin. Our apartment was spacious when compared to an ordinary on-campus dorm or apartment (it had two floors to it, a common/living room, a kitchen and two bedrooms, all for five people). The kitchen came with appliances, overall there was little hassle for study abroad students when it came to going out and buying simple things needed for apartment living. There was even a housekeeping service that did any cleaning (dusting, vacuuming, etc) |
| * Food: |
Simply put, the Irish are not known for their food. But the company you eat with is great! :) |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Irish are very friendly people! It was easy to make friends with the people in my classes and internship and through them I got to experience life in Ireland first hand. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health problems my time abroad. |
| * Safety: |
Dublin is a safe city. It is not unlike any other major city in the States. Keep your smarts with you and you'll be fine. Remember to stay with friends, lock your door, and worst case scenario to go to a public setting if something is uncomfortable for you. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
A recession may not be the best time to study abroad, but if you are frugal and smart with your spending you'll be fine. One of my room mates got by on $50 a week...that wasn't the case for me because I couldn't stop shopping at Oxfam and the vintage stores. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about $60 on food every two weeks, but I buy organic and local produce. Drinks at bars are expensive (about 7.50 Euro/$10 for a gin and tonic) so ration those out! If you get lunch on-the-go, expect to spend about $12 and dinner around $25. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make your own meals! If you really need to/want to eat out, then only do it once a week. My room mate and I held each other accountable for this and if both of us didn't go out to eat from Saturday to Friday, then we treated ourselves to dinner and cocktails at a local restaurant. It's the easiest way to save money. As far as shopping goes, set aside an amount of money beforehand. There is shopping at virtually every budget (Oxfam has clothes around the $7 mark, depending on the item; H&M is in the middle; and stores that are unique to Ireland - like Carousel you can spend anywhere from $50-$100 on a dress). Either save the rest of your money or indulge in a weekend away! (Plane tickets out of Ireland can be anywhere from 30-100 Euro/$50-$120) |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You're in for a great ride! |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
