My Semester in Belfast Past Review
By Corwyn W (Music/Religion double major, Centre College) for
Queen's University Belfast: Belfast - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I got to play Irish music in a pub in Belfast with some of the greatest trad musicians in the country. That would have been enough in and of itself. I also made some fantastic friends. Most importantly, I have come to value all I left behind much more so than ever before.
Personal Information
The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2009 |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The instructors were high quality, but I did not spend enough time in class to get the most of it. I only had a few class periods a week. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
For the most part, the administration is adequate, but I had some trouble with the office accepting my "change of exam" form. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had a single room on a hall with maybe thirty other people. The rooms are nice enough, but the common areas tended to be dirty. <br /><br /> I'm used to living closer to my classes and the building tended to be rather dirty. Otherwise, it was nice, however. |
* Food: |
Students fend for themselves. There is a cafeteria of sorts in the student center, but it is not very high quality. Food was also very expensive. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made a point of getting involved in the local traditional music scene and it was a phenomenal experience. I also got involved in a local church that had a very active youth group. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
I honestly wasn't sure what to do if I got very sick. Thankfully I did not, and the city of Belfast is very safe, so I never felt unsafe. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Belfast is not expensive for a European country, but is still expensive. Tesco is your best bet for a grocery store. |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Be careful if you are a drinker. I saw many other people spend a lot more money than they meant to on alcohol. |
Language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Belfast is an amazing city. If you do come here, I would suggest that you explore the city and its immediate environs before rushing off to mainland Europe or elsewhere. |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
Irish Traditional Music: Form, Style, and Development |
Course Department: | MUS 3069 |
Instructor: | Martin Dowling |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | We spent most of our time analyzing tunes performed by our professor on the fiddle or a number really amazing guest artists on various traditional Irish instruments. Needless to say, I enjoyed this class. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | I have not worked this out yet. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Composition 2 |
Course Department: | MUS 2011 |
Instructor: | Piers Hellawell |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | Very little class time. The real purpose of the class is the final project, a composition you work on throughout the term. The quality of instruction and feedback is good, though. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | I have not worked this out yet. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Revelation |
Course Department: | THE 2084 |
Instructor: | Gordon Campbell |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | Gordon Campbell is truly impressive in his oratory and command of the subject. Most of his lectures were still meant to point us toward individual research, however. I learned quite a bit about how to read the Bible in general, so this course is highly recommended. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | I have not worked this out yet. |