Ireland is absolutely grand! Past Review
By Alex V (Journalism., The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 09/09/2013 to 12/06/2013 with
University College Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Having lived abroad with my family before, I didn't think I would learn as much as I did. It's a completely different experience living on your own. You learn how to go outside of your comfort zone to meet new people, how to navigate a foreign city, how to independently plan a trip; you end up surprising yourself. You also learn how to make mistakes. It's an extremely rewarding and memorable time that I'll never forget.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Many of my classes (mostly in the history and arts) revolved around two major grades for the whole semester: a midterm essay and a final exam. So while most of the semester was not very rigorous since there wasn't any homework, there was a lot of pressure to do well on the few assignments we had. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The on-campus dorms were great. I stayed in Merville, which are more apartment style dorms with single rooms and a common living area. It's very convenient for class, but not so much for going into town. |
| * Food: |
Ireland is not known for its food, but there are plenty of options. Almost every building on campus has some sort of cafe. And you can't beat the cheap chicken subs at the Centra convenience store. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Irish are very friendly and easy to get along with, but you have to make a little bit of effort to become friends with them. Smaller classes and participating in clubs make it easier to meet local students, but it's only natural to gravitate towards other foreigners who also want to travel on the weekends and such. Dublin is a very cosmopolitan city that is easy to get around and get comfortable in, but with a lot of interesting history. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had to deal with healthcare issues or get any special vaccines. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in Dublin. Unlike other European cities, I never had to worry about being pick-pocketed. Of course, it never hurts to be careful, but crime is fairly low in Dublin. |
| 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) |
Food, transportation and social activities can get expensive in Dublin. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Some students who lived off campus bought bikes to commute to class rather than paying for a bus pass. There are cheaper grocery stores like Lidl that you can shop at as well. |
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? |
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 didn't realize how much money I would really be spending. There are ways to save and travel cheaply, but costs can add up quickly. Also, many people are tempted to travel everywhere in Europe because it's so close. You should definitely take advantage of that, but explore as much of Ireland as you can. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
