Trying new things Past Review

By Shea N (Political Science and Government, Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/03/2019 to 12/14/2019 with

Boston University: Dublin - Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I developed a connection to my heritage and a new appreciation for what my family did to come to America to provide the life that I live now. I also developed many new perspectives on how the world can operate.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The courses were challenging, but covered relevant and useful material.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Dorm style living with a community kitchen.
* Food:	I cooked for myself, however the quality of food in Ireland in very good (although a little more expensive than in America).
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	The internship portion of the program in the latter half of the semester integrated us students in the local workforce and gave us a taste of the Irish culture.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I had no health problems while abroad.
* Safety:	I felt incredibly safe in Dublin.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I met tons of people from outside of circles that I would normally interact with and became incredibly close with almost everyone in my small program (22 people). I learned a ton about Ireland, which is where my family traces its roots and got to travel around Europe.

Finances

* 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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	About 100 euroes/week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Prioritize what you spend your money on. I tended to eat cheaper during the week so that I would have money for travel and the expenses associated with traveling.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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?	friends location lifestyle
* What could be improved?	n/a
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I knew that I would get homesick near the end of the program and I would say this was only exacerbated by the fact that it rains everyday and gets dark by 3 p.m. towards the end of the fall in Ireland.

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	International Human Rights Law
Course Department:
Instructor:	Marcus Gatto
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course material was challenging and covered a lot of ground, however it stayed on track and was taught by an excellent professor, and I learned a lot in an international context.
Credit Transfer Issues: