Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Easy academics and not much to do in cork but still lots of great memories Past Review

By (HISTORY., Fordham University) - abroad from 01/01/2013 to 06/01/2013 with

IFSA: Cork - University College Cork

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I became very independent. There were a lot of times that I had to depend completely on myself when something bad happened and I learned a lot more about myself as a result. It was definitely a worthwhile experience.

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.

The professors seemed as if they didn't care. They were never available after classroom hours. The students refused to participate in class, which made the hour long lass very long since the prof would try to get them to. It was worse then getting teeth pulled. Also, there is a study month before the month long final period. This definitely ensures that you forget everything that you bothered to learn over the month.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The Butler staff were great! They were very helpful and the activities they planned were a lot of fun.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I liked the apartment style. However, I was forced to live with four irish girls who weren't very unhygienic and rude. I tried to talk to them about some of the issues but they just didn't care. I tried to switch rooms but the administrator wasn't helpful at all.

* Food:

I think that the Butler group should have given us some sort of food plan at the university. Other than that, the food on the Belfast weekend was gross. The two dinner outings we had were wonderful though.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The Irish students didn't want to get to know the "internationals." However, it is hard to not get into the irish music and sports while you are there. It is a lot of fun to just relax in a cafe for hours people watching or talking with randoms near by.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

They set us up with health care and tried to help us with it as much as possible. Thankfully, I never had an issue. They also gave us a lot of brochures about some of the more touchy topics.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

I went out to dinner a lot. There were definitely a lot of money saving things that you could do like college dinners which provides groceries for just 10 euros a week

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $260
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? save a lot of money before studying abroad. When you travel, cook for yourself a bit.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
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?
  • the activities
  • the people on it with me
  • going to the guinness factory
* What could be improved?
  • having to miss new years eve completely due to travel plans
  • the length, 5 months is too long
  • the butler staff could have been around more
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The irish students are very young like 17 their first year and very immature. Also, they all go home on the weekends to get their laundry done and groceries from their parents.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'