Galway Girl for Life Past Review
By Mary W (HISTORY., Salem State College) for
API (Academic Programs International): Galway - National University Of Ireland, Galway
I definitely plan on going back to Galway... a lot!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
First and foremost, my study abroad advisor in Galway was exceptional. Finn was always just a phone call away, and made it a point to make herself available to us whenever we needed her. The program size was around 30 or so students, give or take a few, which was perfect. It allowed us all to meet new people, while forming a close bond with one another. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed in Menlo Park Apartments, which was a great place to live. It housed American, Irish and Erasmus students, and was small compared to other dorm/housing locations (only about 140 or so students lived there). This let us all get to know one another, and really helped us American students gain solid friendships abroad-- 2 Irish students me and some of the other girls I studied abroad with became friends with came to visit us in America over this past summer. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Irish were extremely accepting, and socializing was a key component of my study abroad experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 170 euro per week: I could get away with spending as little as 20 euro per week on food, but sometimes I spent more. Personal expenses tend to be high at first since you realize there are a lot of things you need that you might not have brought: sheets, more towels, etc. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The exchange rate was what hurt me the most, as well as the increased cost of some things such as food. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
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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