Fulfilling a Life-long Dream Past Review
By Kasey F (Fordham University) - abroad from 12/27/2011 to 05/26/2012 with
Arcadia: Cork - University College Cork
Of course my experience abroad was worthwhile. I made great friends, explored a different part of the world, and found a home three thousand miles away from home.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Not very academically rigorous or intense, but very interesting classes and good resources. Wish I had gone for UCC for my full degree. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
No problems, but not extra spectacular. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Deanshall is typical student accommodation, nothing spectacular. Five singles, and we all shared a common living area and kitchen. The oven was gross when we arrived, and the place was never able to stay too clean for long. Good location, right near city centre, but also right by all the bars and clubs. This could be good for you, but as my window was right over the Washington Street entrance, it wasn't so great for me around 2am every night. |
| * Food: |
I can't cook for myself, so I wound up spending a lot of money eating out, but the actual food was good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made a decent amount of local friends, but would highly suggest staying for a year or more to achieve a better integration with the local culture. A semester just isn't long enough. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I only got sick once. Walked right into the clinic on campus. I had to wait for about two hours, but I got a prescription for antibiotics for a sinus infection no problem, and when I went to go buy it at the pharmacy it was only like four euro. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in Cork. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
I can't cook for myself, so I wound up spending a lot of money on food, but I had also saved a significant amount of money for my semester abroad and so knew I had a decent amount to spend. If I brought less I would have spent less. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Including travel, probably about a hundred and fifty dollars. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Find a dollar/euro/pound store early, and you always need about half as many souvenirs as you think you do. |
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? | Knowing what I know now, I wish I had applied to UCC for my degree instead of only studying there for a semester via an American study abroad program. Barring that, I wish I had stayed for a year. A semester is not long enough. |
