The best experience of my life! Past Review
By Brittany Judge (Purdue University) - abroad from 06/06/2018 to 07/21/2018 with
IES Abroad: Dublin - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
I gained so much more perspective. This was my first time overseas, so it changed my whole world view. I learned that things are so different in other countries, and that seeing the same country your whole life is not beneficial. It made me feel so lucky to get to see the world, and it was beyond worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were not very structured, but that is typical of Irish courses! The faculty at IES and professors were very helpful and I learned a lot. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were extremely helpful and always within reach. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We lived very comfortably in Dublin! We were located in a great part of Dublin and the apartment itself was very nice. |
| * Food: |
Food in Dublin is incredible, especially if you like international cuisine! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I only needed physical therapy while there, but it was easy to find and not too expensive. I also purchased some medicine from an Irish pharmacist (a "chemist") and it was easy, quick, and they were very helpful. |
| * Safety: |
I never really felt unsafe in Dublin! I would recommend not walking alone at night, but that's something I would recommend in any city in any country. I felt very safe and never felt threatened or in danger. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
IES was so helpful and made my trip better than I could have imagined. We had a lot of freedom but at the same time felt like we were cared for and were safe, and that we had resources in case we needed to reach out to someone for anything at all. |
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) |
It was very easy to grocery shop on a budget, and even when eating out, there were almost always cheaper choices. The only thing that sucked money out of my pocket was souvenirs! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I recommend doing what I did- write down how much money you have at the start of your trip, divide it by the number of days you'll be there, and keep track of how much you spend each day. If you spend more or less than your daily allowance, write it as "+" or "-," and you can keep track of how you are doing with your overall 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? | Expect the unexpected- don't stress about being prepared for everything because that isn't realistic! Just take everything as it comes to you. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA 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. |
