A new place I can call home. Past Review
By Emma Dwyer (Eastern Illinois University) - abroad from 08/26/2017 to 12/15/2017 with
API (Academic Programs International): Limerick - University of Limerick
I learned that getting new perspectives is essential to everyday life. So worth it.
Review Photos
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 |
Better than I could have imagined. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Got my own room and bathroom, but buildings were overall very dirty and laundry was very expensive and had unfit machines. |
| * Food: |
Everywhere is amazing, off campus. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I worked with a children's grief center that counseled children of divorce or deceased parents and got to know wonderful people from the city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
While not everyone is friendly, most people are more than willing to help you when you feel uncomfortable in their home city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
While I loved my directors and friends made through the program, it was very expensive and had many excursions that away your time to travel outside of the country. |
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) |
I spent more than I wanted to, but was worth the experiences. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I didn't do this, but my friend did. She made a budget plan and took out money every week and put it in separate envelopes for certain expenses she would have throughout the week (food, laundry, going out, traveling, etc.) |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | That not every single day will be a new adventure, some days you need to rest and go to class and talk to people from home. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
