A Semester Spent in Dublin, Ireland: Good Craic Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It was very different academically from America which was at first very difficult to adjust to. Larger class sizes than I was used to and a different grading scales. Instead of frequent assignments between classes, each class was graded on one or two major assignments or a 100% weight final which encompassed final grades. While I struggled on the academic side of study abroad, I feel it helped me grow as a person and made me appreciate even more my school back home!

On-site administration of your program

The IES staff were great. They arranged a pickup on the first day and brought us to our apartments for move-in. We had a few delicious dinners and monthly coffee meetings with them that were very fun, in addition to a couple trips that were fun as well. They were a really nice group of people who helped make our experience positive.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in Shanowen Square apartments with a couple other American students. The apartments were decent and thankfully each room had a separate bathroom within it. The apartments were very close to the university which was nice but they were far away from the nightlife and fun of the city center. This made it difficult and expensive to get there. Also laundry was hugely expensive (3 Euro wash/3 Euro dry). Overall though, it was a nice living arrangement in a relatively safe area.

Food was fairly straight forward, I would recommend shopping at the grocery stores TESCO or Lidl for cheap groceries. Some things were different or harder to find than in America but I was able to expand my tastes and try some new food.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I met so many amazing people while abroad and this honestly made my experience great. Through IES we took a trip to London and a hike through the Glendalough Valley and Monastic Ruins. Additionally I traveled all over Ireland and the European continent which made amazing memories. I loved this part of being abroad!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Dublin was fairly safe, with the main concern being petty theft and robbery in some parts of the city center. They warned us about this and pointed out areas to avoid which was helpful. Also on big days with heightened alerts (President Obama and Queen visits to Dublin) they warned us of possible dangers and were good about calling to check up.

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

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• Apartment

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• Americans