Home Sweet Galway Past Review
By Danielle B (Evangel University) - abroad from 06/21/2014 to 07/23/2014 with
ISA Study Abroad in Galway, Ireland
I learned how to be more independent and to live on my own. I did not have my parents to run to whenever I had an issue, so it was great to be able to find confidence in living on my own in a new culture.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
NUIG was a great school, and the professors and Irish Studies program staff were wonderful. The campus was beautiful, and I felt comfortable and safe. The school work and exams were difficult, but the classes were good, and it was cool to be able to learn about Irish history and culture from a local. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The ISA staff were helpful and so kind. The resident directors were always there for answering questions and showing us to good local spots to hang out. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Gort na Coiribe is student housing for NUIG, about a mile off campus. We had to walk to school every day, which wasn't very fun in the rain, but when the weather was nice, the walk was beautiful and not too bad. There was a mixture of American students and Irish students living at Gort na Coiribe, so we were able to meet local students as well as others in the Irish Studies program. |
| * Food: |
The food in Galway was great. They had a mixture of traditional Irish food and other cuisines such as Italian or even some more Americanized restaurants. The food in most places was very reasonably priced, which was great for a college student on a very tight budget. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Culture shock wasn't too bad in Galway because they mostly speak English. The people in Galway are very kind and welcoming to visitors. I instantly felt at home in Galway. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues while abroad, but ISA had on-site staff available at all times for anything we may need. |
| * Safety: |
I never had a moment in Galway where I felt unsafe or scared. The city was very wonderful and I always felt safe there, even walking back home late at night. |
| 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) |
I budgeted very carefully while I was abroad, and it was not too difficult to stay within budget. There were times when I wouldn't be able to do the things my friends were doing because I did not have the budget for it, but overall it was simply to stay within the budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | €100-150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | At the beginning of each week, I would take a certain amount of cash out of the ATM and that is how I would budget for the week. I was unable to go over budget because I only had the cash that was in my wallet. |
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? | 0 |
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? | I wish I would have been able to save a little bit more money so that I would have been able to explore the country a little bit more. Other than that, this program was the best month of my life and I wouldn't change a thing about it. |
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 BlazerCraving 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.' |
