Life is good at University College Cork Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

General notes: most classes 40-60 people; 1-3 papers due throughout the semester; participation/discussion/class attendance not emphasized(except for foreign languages);final exams ARE emphasized and count for majority of grade; less challenging than home university.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Lived in the "Spires" right on Bandon Road. The best part was the location-walking 10 minutes in one direction got you to class and walking 10 minutes in the other direction took you straight into town. It was also near several pubs, grocery venues, and a basic convenience store. The apartment set-up was suite style with single or double rooms, a kitchen to share and separate bathrooms for each room. The downside? Laundry was incredibly expensive and lots of the kitchen ware was a bit...well, limited should we say...

Wow, where to start...the food experience in Cork varied- we were on our own to plan meals and the most cost-efficient way to get food was to cook it ourselves. Local food stores such as Con's fruits and vegetables, the local butcher, or the English Market for produce, meats, eggs and other treats proved to be the cheapest places to shop (and the produce and meats often surpassed the quality of the "chain" grocery stores). Tesco, the "chain" grocery store offered pretty much everything else needed. All were in walking distance, but frequent trips were made to avoid schlepping heavy bags of groceries. Meals were also offered at UCC and around town. Jackie Lennox's Fish and Chips on Bandon Road in particular was amazing. Fried fare could be found at most pubs at a reasonable price, but other restaurants downtown tended to be on the more expensive side. In terms of what to try, Ireland produces the best butter...really...Kerrygold is like no other, try in on a warm slice of toast. Tea is also amazing! Irish breakfasts, Irish stew, and the Irish version of bacon are all worth trying. Note: Mayo frequently compliments a variety of dishes...watch out if you're not a mayo fan.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Best aspect of the program, hands down, were the social and cultural experiences...Cork has it all-city life, country life and all the activities and energy that a large university contributes. Downtown Cork had its very fair share of pubs and clubs, plus a few restaurants and coffee shops. Certain pubs offer live music, including some traditional Irish tunes and songs by talented musicians. It certainly had a "college town" feel and plenty of students are out during the week. University College Cork offered a wide range of clubs, sports, and other social groups- for example, I really enjoyed a trip with the Photographic Society that took us to some of the most breathtaking views along the west coast of Ireland. An especially memorable event was a Ceili, where we learned a bit of traditional Irish dancing. Several nearby sites were fun to visit, such as Blarney Castle (home of the famous Blarney Stone). Good transportation made it easy to travel around the country and some favorite places included Galway (amazing pubs, traditional music and food) and the Ring of Kerry (gorgeous). Spring semester students also get a few weeks off before exams, which provided time to take longer trips. During this time, I visited Italy, Paris and Northern Ireland. Cork as a whole, had a very relaxed feel, people were overall friendly and helpful, and after a few months, it started to feel like home.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Overall, I felt safe, however time of day and type of venue played a big role. During the day, I felt comfortable walking around town, yet at night the scene slightly changed. I was told to specifically avoid certain streets at night because of the rough crowds they attracted, and drunken brawls were another thing to watch out for. The biggest issue I faced, day and night, was dodging zooming cars along narrow streets, where there was almost no space between the sidewalks and the cars (if there were sidewalks at all).

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

Ok, so Ireland is generally an English-speaking country. Yet, a fast paced Irish brogue, some regional slang and a few Irish-Gaelic words takes some getting used to at first. Also, took an Italian class to brush-up on some previous Italian skills which also improved throughout the duration of the program.