Ireland was an amazing experience and I would LOVE to return Past Review

By (Education, Saginaw Valley State University) for

GEO: Dublin - Study Abroad Programs in Dublin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This experience allowed me to view a different part of the world and made me want to continue traveling.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

We had to write two papers for each of the two classes we took. There were three classes you could choose from and each student had to take two of them. The classes were three days a week and I enjoyed going to every one of them. The teachers were easy to talk to and created very useful discussions.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The AHA program is what made this trip so memorable. Every Wednesday they took us to different places and made sure we experienced everything there was to offer. Any questions we had were easily answered and they made sure everyone had a great time.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was amazing. The house was right near the school so we walked to class every day. The food was amazing and they went out of their way to make sure everything was going good for us. They were extremely nice and showed us different areas of town that we otherwise wouldn't have known to visit.

* Food:

Dinner was provided every night and our host mom was an amazing cook. The food was always delicious and she gave us more than enough. We were also fed breakfast in the morning. I stayed in a house with my brother so to save money we bought our own groceries and made sandwiches for lunch, which was much cheaper than eating at the cafeteria or pub.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Every Wednesday we went to somewhere new. The first weekend we were there the program took us on an overnight trip to a small town. The scenery was amazing and it made everyone in the group feel closer to each other. This was one of the best weekends of my life.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Everything was very safe and no one in the group had any problem.s The head of our program gave us bus passes and told explained which ones to ride.

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)

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • They combined academic classes with weekly trips
* What could be improved?
  • I wouldn't change anything
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Anyone would benefit from this program. If you're shy they make sure you still get out and see what Ireland has to offer. Be sure not to miss out on certain opportunities just to save some money.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Irish Film

Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The instructor was great and introduced us to multiple types of Irish film. He was well prepared every day and I participated more in this class than I normally would at my home university.
Credit Transfer Issues: no