AHA Ireland Changed My LIFE! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Perhaps I'm completely biased as I am a bit of a nerd, but I thought the set up was perfect. We attended class on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and had Excursions on Wednesdays. Lectures were typically guided by power point and flowed perfectly with the excursions thus not only were we able to have a class lecture where they taught us the information, but we were also able to visualize and conceptualize what actually occurred by actually going to places that were mentioned in our books or throughout the lecture. Being able to make those connections, even when watching films were vital to our retaining the information. My professors were very open to answering questions and clearly clarifying any concerns that we had. They had no problem using google to show us images if they were referencing things and usually they already had an image with them. The grading was very similar to what happens in the states, only we were sure that they were giving us the grades that we deserved versus giving grades based on who agreed with their opinion. To me it was perfect.

On-site administration of your program

The food was absolutely fantastic. I really had absolutely no idea what to expect once I arrived. My host mother was a fantastic cook, and while we were given the option to go out to dinner with friends, my roommate and I were generally home every day for family dinner. I loved the Pizza there. That was perhaps the only fast food that I let myself eat and I'm glad I did. If there is someone in the group with an Iphone there is an app that finds local restaurants and ratings. The Irish Stew was definitely a favorite as were the fish and chips. It's a bit more expensive to eat at actual restaurants than choosing McDonalds, but it's DEFINITELY worth it.etting to campus early to ensure that you're able to find a computer. The administration was amazing, always open and willing to help us if a situation arose. They were kind and full of information on things for us to do around town. My expectations were definitely exceeded.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I absolutely loved my host family. They were the nicest and more open people that I have ever met. My house was in a wonderful and to be honest PERFECT location. I was able to walk when I wanted or catch the bus if I so chose. There were always taxis about. I was close enough to Dublin to walk to the DART station and could easily make my way around Dun Laoghaire. I was about a 20-25 minute walk to class and 10 minutes from town. I didn't have to buy anything really unless it was something that I forgot to pack. I would definitely like to think that I was treated like family. One of the best parts was hearing my host brother refer to me and my roommate as "my Americans." My roommate was also pretty great as well! We were complete opposites in so many ways but when paired with our family, everything just sort of fit in the end. I loved it.

The food was absolutely fantastic. I really had absolutely no idea what to expect once I arrived. My host mother was a fantastic cook, and while we were given the option to go out to dinner with friends, my roommate and I were generally home every day for family dinner. I loved the Pizza there. That was perhaps the only fast food that I let myself eat and I'm glad I did. If there is someone in the group with an Iphone there is an app that finds local restaurants and ratings. The Irish Stew was definitely a favorite as were the fish and chips. It's a bit more expensive to eat at actual restaurants than choosing McDonalds, but it's DEFINITELY worth it.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The excursions were among the best parts of the program. From our first tour of Dublin to the last, it was amazing. We were able to go to Parliament, we visited Kilmainham Gaol, we even explored the Castle and town were they shot scenes from Braveheart. Our group became very much like a family thanks to our weekend away in Glencolmcille, Donegal. We climbed a mountain together and we took music/sports lessons together. In Dublin, we were able to visit the Croke Park for a tour and stand in the speaker's box, and when a few of us returned later in the summer for a Gaelic Football match, we were able to stand on Hill 16. The excursions and trips were fantastic and this isn't even half of what we saw/did.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Dun Laoghaire is very safe city and Dublin too is very safe as well. One shouldn't ignore the basic travel and safety tips as it's always a good idea to travel with at least one other person and for young women to keep their purses in front of them and things of that sort. We never had any issues with safety that I am aware of. Whenever someone was sick, which wasn't very often, the students were taken to see a doctor where they could receive the medical attention needed. Although I was never sick during our trip, every thing seemed a lot faster and like less of a hassle in Ireland than in the States. We didn't need any sort of vaccines or anything of the sort.

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

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• Host Family

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• Americans
• Host Family

• Everything

• Faster internet in the Univeristy