I had a great study abroad experience with some exceptions Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes that I took were academically challenging, but not as much as the courses that I take at my home university.

On-site administration of your program

CAPA has an onsite office at Griffith College in Dublin. This office was very helpful with any questions that I had about scheduling my classes or study abroad related issues. Overall, I appreciated how supportive they were.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The living arrangements were pretty adequate. My on-campus apartment for four guests had a kitchen/living room, two bedrooms, and two tiny bathrooms. It had some maintenance issues that Griffith College fixed. The shower drains did overflow from time to time. The refrigerator and freezer were smaller which made it challenging to store perishable foods for four people.

There were so many great food options in Dublin! The CAPA program did not provide a meal plan. The dining hall at Griffith College was pretty limited so I didn't miss much. A grocery store was conveniently located two blocks away from campus, I did my weekly shopping there because it had decently priced products.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated into the Irish culture and a lot of that was because of CAPA's contributions. For instance, they provided me with a bus pass which allowed me to save money and explore different parts of Dublin. I also took day trips with Irish bus companies and CAPA which gave me opportunities to be introduced to Irish culture outside of Dublin. Everyone who worked at the CAPA Dublin office was a Dubliner and they taught me the cultural values of the Irish. I took an Irish History & Culture class and CAPA's Global Cities class which gave me a lot of insight into the country's past and present-day events. Outside of the classroom, I went to many museums, traveled in and outside of the country, and mingled with the locals.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

CAPA provide me with healthcare information about local practitioners.

Overall, I felt very safe while I was studying abroad. I even felt safer in Dublin compared to Seattle University. Griffith College is protected by security guards and is in a really safe part of Dublin.

CAPA was very supportive which meant a lot since it was my first time living internationally without any family members.

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

Despite saving up money from working full time over the summer, I still needed some financial assistance from my parents. I did not expect Dublin to be as expensive as it is and I think part of that is the conversion of the US dollars to Euros. Food and personal expenses were easy to manage each week. However, certain things like airfare for traveling were bigger investments.

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• Dorm

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• CAPA staff
• day trips

• class scheduling

The Academic or Linguist