Discovering Irish Charm in Galway Past Review
By Jacob R (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Trinity University) for
IFSA: Galway - National University Ireland
I never really understood what "American" culture was until studying abroad. Talking with the Irish students and hearing their impression on America made me realize what the US means as a country-both the good and bad sides.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The professors seemed to require much less from students in general, and exams seemed to test a much more basic level of information than many Trinity classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Held a welcome meal and departure meal in Galway, in addition to two program trips, so it was easy to get to know the advisors working in Ireland. Overall IFSA was very helpful and responded to any concerns via email promptly. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My housing situation was my favorite part of the semester. I lived with three Irish students and got to be really good friends with them, which I found to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the semester. Living with local students is the best way to get a true feel of the culture. |
| * Food: |
Ireland isn't necessarily known for their food, but in Galway any kind of food/restaurant can be found, and there were plenty of cheap grocery stores/markets close by to shop for groceries. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The semester in Galway was such a fun experience, the Irish people are so friendly and fun-loving and it is easy to strike up a conversation. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I had one incident in which I needed to go to the emergency room, for a cut on my finger. I ended up sitting there for about 4 hours waiting to be seen by a doctor. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | The biggest expense was food and drinks while going out. I spent about 40 euro a week on food (when shopping at the grocery store). |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Traveling for a weekend to another country is very expensive, even with the cheap flights. You'll want to experience the food/drink/sights of the city while you're there, so it ends up being an expensive trip. Definitely make sure to set aside some money for traveling though, because there are so many fun locations within a close distance in Europe. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The benefit of studying in an English-speaking country such as Ireland is that it is much easier to become friends with local students, which is a great way to get a feel for Irish culture. Make an extra effort to get to know the Irish students from the start, you'll find that most of them are just as excited to make American friends as well. |
