Gort Na Coirribe and NUI Galway Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Although I had an amazing abroad experience, I feel that I was not challenged academically at the same level as Providence.The one or two assignments I had for each class was not nearly as difficult as the major assignments I completed at PC.

On-site administration of your program

Arcadia provided plenty of information about living in Ireland during our orientation. However, I did have some problems with the orientation: first of all, it was in Dublin, which is on the opposite coast from Galway. I would have preferred to have had orientation in Galway so that they could give us a hands-on experience while learning about our new home. Second, we stayed in a hostel during orientation and roommates were selected randomly. I roomed with some girls who ended up staying in Dublin for the semester. I made close friends with girls who ultimately did not go to Galway, which was disappointing. On a more positive note, upon arriving to Galway, the administration continued to make themselves available to us throughout the duration of our stay. If I emailed any of them with a question, they quickly responded with answers. We also received updates about what events were coming up each weekend that we might be interested in. When talking to my friends who went through other programs, it was obvious that Arcadia provided a lot more than other programs did.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartment was very pretty. All the rooms were spacious and comfortable, and the kitchen came equipped with all utensils, pots, pans, et. The apartment village was called Gort Na Coirribe. The negative aspects of my living arrangements are twofold: 1. While being on the ground floor was nice, I had a backdoor that opened up to the sidewalk. My roommates sometimes did not lock that door, and one time a few people walked right in and wrecked the kitchen/sitting area just for fun. Luckily nothing was stolen, but it was a terrible experience. 2. I realized there were several differences between me and my Irish roommates. They were much sloppier than me, and tended to make themselves food and not clean up after themselves. This would also happen on Friday nights, when they made dinner, did not clean, and then went home for the weekend. Confronting them only solved the problem temporarily. I would often clean, and come to find that not only did they not acknowledge my work, but they refused to keep it clean as well. I am not a neat-freak, but their level of sloppiness was ridiculous. Also, I HATED living with a boy. I was not given the option to live only with girls, and I wish I did. <br /><br /> I liked that Gort na Coirribe was right across the street from a Dunnes, and close to a movie theatre and other grocery and clothing stores. However, it was about a 20 minute walk from both campus and the town center. It was frustrating walking to the pubs and clubs at night, especially if it was raining. Since cabs are expensive, my friends and I walked as much as possible. However, that is not to say that it wasnt a pain most of the time. On a positive note, security was always around, which was nice.

I ate well, but it was not generally healthy food. That was mostly my own fault though. The only problem with keeping food in the apartment was that Gort na Coirribe only provides mini-fridges, so I could not fit much in it. My friend who is a vegetarian is having a difficult time trying to make meals for herself that doesnt include pasta every night.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I had an amazing time socially in Ireland. Arcadia took us to the Aran Islands, Belfast, and to Cork for a homestay experience. They provided transportation, accomodations, and some meals. WHat I especially liked about the trips were that they were structured without being overwhelming. We were generally allowed to roam and do our own thing, which was great. We never felt like annoying tourists because we did not walk around in huge groups. I liked having free time.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Galway was extremely safe. I never heard anything about anyone being harmed physically or mentally. Theft did not occur often at all. During the day time, walking around alone was not a problem. Of course, no one should be walking around alone at night, but that is true of pretty much all places. Overall, I felt extremely safe the entire time.

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

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