Visit Ireland!! A wonderful, fun, and life-changing experience! January 01, 2022

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes I took at Trinity College were interesting and I feel that I learned a lot. I enjoyed being able to meet classmates from all over the world and engage in discussions about serious and contemporary topics in and outside of the classroom. I felt that while most classes were pretty manageable during the semester, finals were very rigorous and I did not feel like there were many resources accessible to international students to help us adjust to the different academic standards and teaching styles. Teaching and learning was much more independent and assignments seemed to be the most frequent toward the end of the semester, right before finals which was quite stressful.

On-site administration of your program

I felt that there was barely on-site support and minimal support before we arrived. I enjoyed basically all of my abroad experience except for IFSA. There was no one from IFSA based in Dublin, which was problematic as there were challenges we faced and could have used support in certain moments, and there was no effort made to get us all to meet one another and bond. We were on our own the second we got off the plane, and the program did not offer any adequate orientation or take us on any trips. They claimed this was due to COVID, but other programs had trips and cultural events and dinners and we had basically nothing. Before we left, IFSA promised they would get us immigration appointments and help with SIM cards, but both fell through and students were forced to scramble and due to the difficult nature of the immigration system, some of us did not even get immigration appointments while we were there. IFSA had significant potential but fell flat and I wish I could have gone on a different program.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved the building where I lived and its proximity to campus and the center city but it was not in a safe neighborhood. I was mugged a few blocks away from the building coming home at night and often did not feel safe walking alone, especially at night.

The food was amazing in Dublin! I have Celiac disease (gluten allergy) and found it very easy to eat safely and I got to try tons of different types of cuisines.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I really made an effort to get involved at Trinity in clubs and as a result, was able to feel immersed within the local culture.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The program did offer guidance about COVID and required us to be vaccinated. I did not have an experience with health care.

Dublin is pretty safe, but can be sketchy in certain neighborhoods at night. I was mugged, and I have friends who were pickpocketed but overall, this does not seem like a common experience. I did have some moments where my friends and I felt unsafe or uncomfortable due to sexual harassment on the streets. But overall, during the days I felt very comfortable and safe.

I feel that there are better programs out there that are more supportive and hands-on with students.

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

Dublin was expensive, but there were definitely food places and options that were accommodating to students.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Local Students

• Being in Ireland
• Being at Trinity

• On-site support
• Location of housing