Truly Magical Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/15/2018 to 05/17/2018 with

University of Galway: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

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

I learned so much about living on my own and providing for myself. I also learned so much about my own history and the history of a country that isn't often talked about. It was incredibly worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Housing was decent but incredibly difficult/stressful to find and expensive.
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* 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 This was truly a magical experience. I didn't want to leave.

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?	75-100 dollars approximately, but I was pretty conservative in my spending
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Buy groceries instead of eating out and budget your resources.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Beginner

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university?	Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
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?	Location Language People
* What could be improved?	More University support More housing resources
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had looked into housing a bit more before starting the program and had made more of an effort to get involved in a club that has Irish students.

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 Blazer Craving 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.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Celt Mythology, Religion and Folklore
Course Department:	Celtic Civilization
Instructor:	Lillis Ó Laoire
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This was very relevant to the time and place of the institution. The instructor was knowledgable and passionate about the subject and the course content helped to ground me in the country.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Irish for Beginners II: Reading and Writing
Course Department:
Instructor:	Sean O Graine
Instruction Language:	English/Irish
Comments:	This course was challenging but so rewarding. There was a weekend trip offered to the Gaeltacht in Connemara that was particularly useful/helpful. Biweekly homework assignments and in-class participation, as well as an end-of-semester exam, were the modes of assessment.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Irish for Beginners I: Conversation and Listening Skills
Course Department:	Irish Studies
Instructor:	Sean O Graine
Instruction Language:	Irish
Comments:	This was one of my hardest classes but so rewarding. The course was clearly grounded in the place and the teacher was incredibly knowledgable and helpful. An oral and listening exam was the final assessment.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	18th Century Ireland
Course Department:	History
Instructor:	Pádraig Lenihan
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Labour in Irish Society and Politics, c. 1760-1960
Course Department:	History
Instructor:	John Cunningham
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course was challenging as I had none of the Irish history background that grounded the class. As such, I had to do a lot of my own research to feel prepared. We were assessed through papers.
Credit Transfer Issues: