The Best Experience I've Ever Had Past Review
By Monica Chen (Anonymous University) - abroad from 08/30/2016 to 12/10/2016 with
IES Abroad: Dublin - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
I learned a lot about myself, became more comfortable with myself, and gained a lot more confidence. Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to be away from my family and really understand what it means to take care of myself and be responsible. I also traveled by myself for the first time without family, not only travelling to Dublin for the program, but also to other countries for breaks and weekend trips. The classes were great; I learned a lot about Irish culture, literature, and history. I also had the opportunity to intern while I was there, which gave me real-world experience and insight into Irish professional culture.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses were not very difficult at all and honestly it was extremely good for the study abroad experience. Our professors often encouraged us to spend our time travelling and getting to know Dublin. So, although the ranking is three stars for academic rigor and intensity, the courses were honestly fantastic and I absolutely adored my professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
I was really glad I had the opportunity to buy my own groceries and cook for myself, but also there are many incredible restaurants around Dublin and I made it a point to go to many of them during my time in Dublin. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I would have loved to study with Irish students and get that kind of integration, but with the Writer's Program structured the way it is, I took classes with other students from US. At the same time, though, there were a lot of other opportunities to integrate myself into the local culture. I had an internship during my program and I attended regular meetings at a local church. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Dublin, in general, is quite safe, especially the places you will be during your study abroad experience. The main thing is to be aware and cautious. Be smart and you will be fine. |
| 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) |
Depending on what trips you want to take, if you want to take any, and how much travel fare costs, in general, it was quite easy to live on a student's budget. Day to day things like buying groceries, going out to eat, and buying souvenirs was a lot simpler and less expensive than doing the same things in the US. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $40 if I went out to eat a couple of times |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Budget your money before you go and make sure you stick to that budget. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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 feel like I understand that I am more capable and responsible than I thought I was. I wish I knew that I didn't have to be so nervous and that I could actually enjoy myself without being overly concerned with money and other things. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
