Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Studying in Ireland: The Chance of a Lifetime! Past Review

By (Psychology and Studio Art, Clark University - Worcester) - abroad from 08/29/2014 to 12/12/2014 with

Burren College of Art: Ballyvaughan - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained an overall feel of independence and confidence in myself to be able to live so far away from the people I love. I gained so many close relationships with people across the states that I have kept in touch with and plan on visiting at some point!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This program provided me with the rigor of a real art school that I was unable to obtain at my home school. It was a semester filled with educational field trips that were also very fun and rewarding in their own right.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Administration at the Burren College of Art was always available to meet with for extra help and guidance, most of the staff even had lunch with us and were able to always check in and see how we were doing!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The living arrangements sound cramped but are actually quite fun. It is a bed and breakfast switched into college housing, so although there were many students living there at the same time there was tons of rooms and space to gain privacy. Living in a house with lots of students also allowed for a lot of bonding time.

* Food:

Martina and Ann made the best irish lunches that could fill you up for the whole day!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Because Ballyvaughen is such a small town, there was initial culture shock but not as much as you would expect

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

the entire town is filled with many friendly people and I never felt unsafe on my trip once

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

budgeting was something that I had to get used to, as grocery shopping is something unavoidable. However after a week or two it was easy to get the hang of it, as long as I checked my bank account a few times a week.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? about 100$
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? budget before you go leave home and decide how much you are willing to spend each week. also account for some extra expenses such as buying gifts for home and tourist items that you will want for the memories.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* 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?
  • the courses
  • the field trips
  • the country
* What could be improved?
  • classes could be a little bigger
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I understood how to budget better with my money, but other than that everything that was learned was only an added bonus to the experience.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.