Dublin: Good 'Craic That Changed My Life Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Most of the time in class was spent watching movies or looking at photographs. One of my teachers came down with a severe sickness within two sessions of the class, so I definitely could have gotten more out of that class. The papers were long, but there was plenty of content to write about and I really enjoyed the fact that my teachers understood that we wanted to travel during our time there as well.

On-site administration of your program

IES Abroad is a fantastic program. They were very efficient with their emails, providing ample information for students regarding what to pack, cultural information on the host country, and introducing the courses. The process was a breeze and completely surpassed my expectations. IES Abroad provided me the best two months of my life!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

IES Abroad provided a fantastic house for my me and my four roommates. We lived right near the center of Ireland, we had a huge house with three bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, and a quaint backyard garden. It was in an affluent neighborhood so I felt safe at all times walking with my roommates and even on my own. It was filled with cookware, silverware, sheets, and towels. The walk to class was a bit of a hike (about 25 minutes), but it was a relaxing walk in the morning and passed a beautiful canal. The neighbors were accepting and were interested in learning about our American culture and the area was very quiet.

Being college students, my housemates and I were all on a budget. That being said, IES gave us advice on the cheapest grocery stores and restaurants and also gave us advice on how to save money when enjoying nightlife or eating lunch between classes.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The best event I experienced in Ireland was the World Street Championships, which was a free sponsored event where street artists (magicians, comedians, etc.) from all over the world competed for the championship. It was also an event in which Dublin was trying to beat the world record for the amount of Where's Waldo's in a specified area. Therefore, it was 15 euro to get a Waldo costume and we beat the world record. All of the Americans loved the event and we all felt like kids again. Our program also set up a trip to County Kerry in Ireland, which helped all of the students see the top sites easily. W

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

None of our students ever had any medical emergencies, thankfully, and my safety in the city was never a worry. As long as you have street smarts, you can walk around safely by yourself or with your housemates and feel completely comfortable.

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

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• Other

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• Americans