It felt like a fever dream that I'll cherish for a long time. February 19, 2024

By A student (English Language and Literature, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/09/2023 to 05/04/2023 with

University of Galway: Direct Enrollment & Exchange

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

I definitely became more independent overall. Not that I was very dependent on anyone before, but I was forced to rely pretty much only on myself for four months, financially, socially, and in many other ways. It was also a chance to experience a larger university than Middlebury and everything, good and bad, that comes with that. Academically, there wasn't much flexibility in the courses students can take (visiting students being the exception), and the vast majority of these courses ended up being large lectures with 100+ students, which was one of my least favorite parts. There were, however, a large variety of topics that were offered as classes that Middlebury simply doesn't ever offer. Socially, the larger student body meant a more active club and activity scene. At Galway, I immediately found two clubs that I connected with (Archery and Baking) and others I could have pursued, whereas at Middlebury, there hasn't been a single one. The downside to the larger student body was simply the sheer number of students and the crowds that I had to contend with on a day-to-day basis.

Review Photos

University of Galway: Direct Enrollment & Exchange Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

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?
* 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 I had a lot of trouble in the beginning, since I didn't receive much support from either Middlebury or the University of Galway, but once I got past the first few weeks, I really enjoyed my time in Galway. Even some of the difficulty I experienced (such as needing to stay in a hostel) lead to more positive things (such as meeting someone in the hostel who would become my closest friend that semester). Galway was such an amazing place to live and study, and though I didn't base my choice on much more than a gut feeling, I think I made exactly the right one at the time.

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)	I was not provided housing because of the high demand, so I had to find it on my own. Ireland was (and perhaps still is) going through a housing crisis, which made it hard to find affordable places near the uni. I had to stay in a hostel for the first week while I was looking, which was €30-50 depending on the night (weekends were more expensive). I ended up renting a room from a family's house for €650 a month (for four months), located 15 minutes by bus from the university, which meant additional €10-15 every week in bus fares. I also had to go grocery shopping every week because I was not provided with any meals through the school or my living situation, which amounted to an average of €30 each week. There were also additional costs associated with classes and field trips, though I don't remember the exact amount. I believe the Irish language course that Middlebury required I take had a €30 cost associated with it, but it might have only been €15. The field trip I went on for the course was an additional €75.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	€150-200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Look into housing options in advance. Check in with the university you're thinking about going to to see if housing will be provided, and what you need to do to get onto a waiting list. Apply for a student bus card earlier to save a little in bus fares. Seek out budget grocery stores like Lidl and Aldi. Don't expect to travel very much if money is a concern.

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	There was a lot of encouragement through the Irish language course and field trip, but throughout general university life, there aren't many (or any) people who spoke Irish over English, or encouraged others to do so. Galway did, however, have all of their signs for the University or on the streets in both English and Irish, which provided small opportunities to practice or notice the language if desired.
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
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	None
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?	Seek out others who use the language, both at your same (beginner) level, and those who speak the language natively.

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	Other Hostel
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Other
* 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?	Difference in class subjects/topics Archery and Baking clubs Beauty of Galway
* What could be improved?	Housing situation Support provided to students who have never traveled (especially internationally) Financial support
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had known how bad the housing situation was going to be in Ireland, and when to reach out to the university to inquire about housing. It's my understanding that if I had done it earlier, I might've had the chance to be housed on campus (or at least through the university), since 2 months wasn't early enough. It's also possible that it's just wishful thinking, but at the very least it would've been nice to know more about how to navigate looking for living spaces as a student.

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	King Arthur and the Holy Grail
Course Department:	Irish Studies
Instructor:	Graham Isaac
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	There were no field trips, but the instructor knew a lot about the content and the cultural context that the texts came from. In particular, he knew a lot about the Welsh naming conventions present in the folklore, and used this to help us understand the cultural significance of the stories. I participated the same amount as I would have in a similar course here at Middlebury. All assessments were essays, one midterm and one final.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I had no trouble transferring the credit, but I didn't try to get any specific credit from the course.

Course Name/Rating:	Genre Studies
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Marie-Louise Coolahan and Sean Ryder
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	There were no field trips, but each professor was knowledgeable about their respective genres that they taught us, but unfortunately, they were not genres that I found particularly engaging on a personal level. The first half of the semester was spent on epistolary texts and autobiographies, and the second half was spent on ballads and lyrical poems. I did not participate in the large lectures, since that wasn't expected or necessarily encouraged. All assignments were essays; one midterm and one final.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I had no issues transferring credit for this course, but I also did not try to receive anything other than a general credit.

Course Name/Rating:	Literature in the Digital Age
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Justin Tonra
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	There were no field trips, but the instructor was knowledgeable about everything he included in the course and was able to answer any questions that came up. I did not speak in the large lectures because that wasn't expected or necessarily encouraged. All assignments were in the form of essays - one midterm and one final.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I did not have any trouble transferring the credit for this course, but I also did not try to receive anything other than a general credit.

Course Name/Rating:	Irish for Beginners
Course Department:	Irish Language
Instructor:	Giolliosa Uí Lorcáin
Instruction Language:	English and Irish (Gaelic)
Comments:	I found the course challenging because I find languages challenging. The course was set up to work specifically for international students, so I did find that helpful. There was one optional field trip, which I attended, where we went to the Connemara region of Galway and stayed in the homes of Irish families for a weekend. We visited places like Kylemore Abbey and Máméan, and also had a couple of Irish languages classes at the University's school in Connemara and attended a Sean Nós dancing workshop. I participated in the class as much was as expected. Assessments came in the form of biweekly worksheets and one final exam that took place in two parts, a written portion and an oral portion.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I had no issues transferring the credit for this course, but I also didn't try to receive anything other than general credit.

Course Name/Rating:	20th Century Irish Drama
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Irina Ruppo
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	There were no field trips for the course, but the instructor was obviously knowledgeable about the different texts we read and the historical context around them. Since it was a small seminar, and I was the only American student, I was often asked to participate a bit more than I probably would have otherwise. It was often interesting for the class to compare their perspectives to mine based on our different histories and cultural upbringings, but also because America and Ireland share some history and similarities. Assessment was all based on essays - two smaller ones throughout the course and one final essay based on a topic of our choosing.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I'm getting a Major credit for this course, so the only issue I had was in verifying that the course would count for the requirement I was trying to fill. It was easily solved once I figured out who I needed to contact within the department here.

Course Name/Rating:	Celtic Mythology, Religion, and Folklore
Course Department:	Irish Studies
Instructor:	Nikita Koptev
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	I enjoyed the subjects we were learning about a lot, but I didn't like the instructor's style of lecture at all. He obviously knew a lot about the content, but the lectures always felt disorganized and a bit dull. It unfortunately undermined my investment and interest in the course. There were no field trips. I did not speak in the large lectures since it was not expected and not exactly encouraged. The only assessment was a final essay, in two parts, based on the two parts of the course (Celtic Mythology and Celtic Religion and Folklore).
Credit Transfer Issues:	I had no issues transferring credit, but I also didn't try to receive anything other than general credit for this course.