Galway, A city with great Craic Past Review
By Maura M (Health and Medical Administrative Services., Providence College) for
Arcadia: Galway - National University of Ireland, Galway
Absolutely, i learned a lot about myself as a person, it made me even more independent than i had been just at college. It also made me appreciate certain things about America that i didnt before. My academic interest has not changes but after traveling and living in Ireland and making trips to six other countries during my time i have come to learn alot about other cultures and that the American way may sometimes be more efficient but it is not always the best.
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. |
Most classes were big, so attendance and class participation did not count. Also, most classes just had a midterm essay for one-third of your grade and a final essay for the remaining two-thirds |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My house was nice and perfect for the abroad experience. It was fun to live with Irish students and interact with them, but they were unbelievably messy and i generally did not want to use my kitchen and also many Irish students go out and party until late hours and are very loud when coming home. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Arcadia was great. We spent four days in Dublin experiencing what the capital city had to offer plus seeing plays, eating out and going to pubs. Plus a trip to Northern Ireland that had a lecture on the issues of North Ireland. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Always felt safe, never had to use the healthcare. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | cook with friends because food goes bad quickly that way food doesn't get wasted and neither does your money |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Galway is an awesome small city with so much to offer an American student while pushing their boundaries but also making them feel comfortable. Be open to any nad all experiences. Take advantage of Arcadia they have a great staff who are always willing to help and have great information. Take advantage of their trips; they provide a great time in Dublin at orientation, the Belfast trip is a great deal and an awesome experience, and bike the Aran islands with them! A student who wants a great abroad experience in a fun city who likes to go out and experience a great time with natives. |
