An experience I will not forget that has inspired in so many ways! Past Review

By Anastasia Barkow (New York University) - abroad from 06/15/2019 to 07/27/2019 with

New York University: Dublin - NYU Summer in Dublin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned primarily about Ireland and Irish history and literature. I also learned about living abroad and traveling. It was so worthwhile. I cannot express it enough how much I learned and how thankful I am for it.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The classes were amazing! I learned so much in such a short amount of time, but it did not feel rushed. It's not just in the class room that the learning is done. It's also on every trip we took, but it didn't feel like we were being forced to learn in those moments. All of our guides and professors just made the history and social commentary so interesting that it was fun!
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Botany Bay in Trinity College was the most beautiful place! Each student gets an individual room and shares a common room with another student or two. The location is amazing and beautiful. It's the exact image I had of study abroad life before I actually went abroad and lived there! And since it's right at city center, there are a million places to walk to right around the vicinity of the college! AND we stayed in Kylemore Abbey for five days that I will never forget! It was like a hotel! It was so peaceful there and so inspiring. I'm actively trying to get back there.
* Food:	The food at Kylemore Abbey was amazing! I've never eaten so well in my life! In Dublin I was cooking for myself and I won't say how that turned out.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I met so many lovely people and had many, many amazing conversations that helped me learn more and more about Irish culture and history.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I felt very comfortable with the program advisors and all the people on the program. It's not a very big group so I really got to know everyone. It's six weeks, but I know there's so much more to explore and so many places I would love to go back to!

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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	less than 30 euros when buying groceries
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Shop for groceries at Aldi across the Liffy!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	Irish isn't used very often so there wasn't much pressure, but some words were usually exchanged! Bhí sé go maith!
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	Mordern Irish Elementary II
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Find popular books that have been translated into the language in local bookstores. I have a copy of Harry Potter agus an Órchloch that I'm working through right now to help with my vocab.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm Hostel
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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?	Kylemore Abbey Learning from Michael Gibbons (historian and archeologist in the West of Ireland) The Willie Clancy Music Festival
* What could be improved?	nothing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Nothing. Everything was perfect!

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 Avid Adventurer The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Contemporary Irish Literature
Course Department:
Instructor:	Conor Creany
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The Contemporary Irish Lit. class was particularly fun because we had authors coming in to speak to us about their books just about every week. Getting to read, discuss, and then meet the authors was an unforgettable educational experience. It was so inspiring. I still think about the stories they told us and how they all approach writing. It has been one of the best classes I've taken in college. It was challenging in all the best ways and really expanded my view of literature in many different ways!
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues at all.