Amazing Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It was amazing. The college that I went to was located in the famous writer Oscar Wilde`s childhood home, how cool is that? The teachers and staff there are very pleasant and kind, always there to help you in any way they can. They even plan after school excursions whether its a trip to the museum, park, hiking or casually chilling at a pub. You get the fridays off so you have more time exploring the city of Dublin or plan a weekend trip.

On-site administration of your program

I had an on-site coordinator who was very friendly and down-to-earth. We went to pretty interesting excursions. He definitely knew his way around Ireland as he recommended really good places to explore and told me fun facts of Ireland in it`s history and culture.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The living arrangements were great. I first stayed at a hostel-style resident. Breakfast and dinner were provided for me but I had to be in the dinning hall at a specific time. The hostel was within walking distance to my college and nearby pubs, cafes, grocery stores, shops etc. I shared a room with another girl who was very friendly. The beds are reasonably sized and cozy enough. Not to mention the hostel is situated in a Georgian-style building. However there are rules and regulations you have to follow or else there might be penalties. The people who stayed there were really friendly and I became really good friends with them. I later stayed in a gorgeous four storey Georgian townhouse that was a lot closer to central Dublin. The hostess was very kind and she cooks dinner every night. I shared a room with another girl but there are some rooms that can fit up to 6 people. I also became really good friends with the people there.

The meals provided for me in my first residence was reasonably portioned. The meals would consist of carbohydrates with the sides of meat and vegetables like mashed potatoes with a burger or lasagna. Dessert would be provided two to three times a week. They also offer veggie alternatives if you are a vegetarian, though you would have to notify the kitchen staff you are one. The meals are fixed, so if you dont particularly like the meal being served that day, you would have to buy your own dinner elsewhere. Luckily there are fridges in the dining hall that you can stock up with your own groceries. The hostess in my second place cooked all my dinner. She would usually cook Italian, Western and Indian dishes. The meals were pretty good and hearty and reasonably portioned. If you have any food allergies or preferences, all you have to do is tell her and she will definitely cook something you can eat.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very welcomed in Dublin. Everyone was so friendly.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Since Dublin has a very unpredictable weather, there is a good chance you might catch the seasonable flew so I recommend bringing vitamins and flu medicine. I was unfortunate to catch a pretty aggressive flu. Luckily there was a clinic roughly two minutes away from my college that was on the upper floor of a pharmacy. One of the staff in the college was nice enough to take me there. You would have to wait a couple of hours, depending how busy the place is that day. The general fee is 60 euros but because I was a student I got a discount for 50 euros. And the price for antibiotics and cough medicine were pretty reasonable, was in total 26 euros.

For a city Dublin was not too dodgy at all. There was never a moment I didn't feel safe. Most of the people I`ve met have been really friendly. Though it`s advisable to not wonder about at night alone especially in the central areas where there are pubs and clubs and you dont really know your way home.

I loved my time there. I love Dublin. I definitely plan on going back.

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

It wasn't too bad to budget. Dublin can be expensive but compared to many places the prices can be reasonable.

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• Apartment
• Hostel

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• Americans
• Other

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• Americans

• The courses
• Exploring Dublin
• Making new friends

• More planned excusrions

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