Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Dublin the Fun in Ireland Past Review

By (University of Iowa) - abroad from 01/04/2017 to 04/14/2017 with

IES Abroad: Dublin - Study Abroad With IES Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience abroad was extremely worthwhile. Being able to learn, intern, and travel throughout Ireland through the IES Abroad Dublin program I gained a better understanding of the world around me. I have broadened my horizons and found myself to be more outgoing and excited to travel the world and experience more of it.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Courses were designed to be culturally relevant and interesting addressing both the global spirit studying abroad encompasses as well as the current events and history of Ireland.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staff members were friendly and fun providing endless energy and enthusiasm towards students enjoying their time abroad.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The living arrangements were a great combination of private space as well as a good way to get to know other people in the program.

* Food:

There was no food provided in this program.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated within the local culture and the program itself and the classes I took allowed me to become increasingly familiarized with the city I was living in and the history around every corner.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The program had great services and a staff member was always accessible to help students come in contact with local doctors.

* Safety:

During my time in Dublin I felt safe overall.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I loved the staff and the trips that were planned throughout Ireland. I truly enjoyed my time in Dublin and would not want to have spent 4 months living anywhere else in Europe.

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)

By budgeting for grocery's during the week and spending more money while traveling in other cities or on the weekends I was able to stick to my budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent about $120 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Look for flight and hotel deals when booking overnight trips, keep to a strict weekly grocery budget when in your host country, make sure to make the most of your money and spend it on experiences and memories you'll treasure.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The trips planned through IES
  • The ease of the process of obtaining an internship
  • The friendliness and helpfulness of the staff
* What could be improved?
  • The location of the housing
  • More details of what is included in the housing and the overall apartment set up
  • More classes to choose from
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had more details about the housing location and what the apartment entailed. I wish I knew more details about the rooms and what was included.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.