Fun in Dublin Past Review
By Kirsten R (Accounting, Hood College) - abroad from 01/23/2015 to 05/23/2015 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Dublin, Ireland
I am very shy and not used to getting out of my comfort zone. I also commute to my home institution, so I had never been away from home. This experience made me more independent and allowed me to open up to new people and make new friends. I also learned that I absolutely love to travel and I am excited for my next traveling experience. It was definitely worthwhile and I would love to study abroad again!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses provided by the program were both in and outside of the classroom. This greatly added to the immersion in the country and culture. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There was always someone available and ready to help and they hosted a weekly "Tea at CAPA" where students could tell them any concerns or plans. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was on campus which was nice. The only discomfort was the springy mattresses and some of the kitchens had the fire alarm directly above the stove, making it difficult to cook certain meals. |
| * Food: |
Students were responsible for getting their own food. There is a restaurant on campus that has food at fair prices and is easy to get to. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The courses and suggested trips all involved integration. There were also courses that could be taken through the college and those courses included Irish students along with other international students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got a foot injury early on in the trip. The program staff made an appointment for me. From that appointment I was sent to a hospital to get x-rays, but none of the doctor's visits resulted in help. I never found out what was wrong with my foot and it lasted 3.5 out of the 4 months I was there. However, it continued when I returned home and healthcare here was also unable to help me. |
| * Safety: |
Dublin in a relatively safe city. I would not advise walking alone late at night and in the early morning, but with other people it would be safer. The college the program is hosted in is also in a safe area about 20 minutes outside of the city center. The only time I felt unsafe was when I was new to the city. |
| 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) |
I had a situation where my family back home wanted me to enjoy my first time outside of the U.S.A., so they provided me with any extra money I needed. With my personal money I took out a certain amount every few weeks and it had to last me the entire 2 weeks. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I did not really set up a budget, which was not wise. I would suggest setting up a realistic budget. If the program you use does not provide food, expect to spend money on groceries and going out to eat. Face it, you're in a new country and you will probably go out to eat A LOT more often than you're used to. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
I took an Irish language course and was encouraged to use the phrases I knew when speaking to Irish people. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I was new to the Irish language |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | The Irish language was difficult for me to learn and the course was intended to give a beginner some experience. If you leave the course knowing how to say a couple phrases you're great! The language isn't widely spoken in Ireland, so it may be difficult to practice. But going outside of the city will make it more likely to find someone that speaks the language. |
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? | I wish I knew more about the weather. I did not plan correctly for the weather and ended up having to buy a lot of clothing. I also wish I knew that the courses through the program were at night. This made it difficult to go to social events and meet Irish students because those were often at night. |
