Unexpectedly Great! February 02, 2024
By A student (Anthropology, University of Oregon) - abroad from 06/17/2023 to 07/15/2023 with
University of Galway: International Summer School
I got to meet so many incredible people from around the world, some of who I still keep in contact with. Learning about Irish history, then going to those exact historic sites the next day was amazing. It is easily the highlight of my college time by a long shot.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Obviously the short-term, accelerated classes can be tough because of the quick turn-around on assignment deadlines, which is what was most difficult. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There were program directors always available at events, including classes. I felt comfortable asking questions and talking to them about any concerns. I think there could've been a little more communication about the program specifics (like housing/transportation, etc). |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The keys were like hotel cards, they got deactivated almost every day. Housekeeping services were unexpected because we weren't told ahead of time that they would come by twice a week. I stayed in a 4bed/2bath, which was fine. The building could use a lot of updates and I think there was mold near the windows. |
| * Food: |
Galway has incredible restaurants. The mini market at Corrib Village was decent, but a bit expensive because of the convenience. Tesco express and Centra are pretty close to campus (~15 minute walk). On campus, the student bar had solid food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The day trips were awesome and exposed us to new places and historic sites. My roommates and I went into town almost every night (~20-30 min. walk), so we got to experience a lot of the social scene and cultural spots with locals. With the program, there were culture-based activities almost every day, like traditional dancing and singing workshops. Also, the program offered optional Irish language classes, which were really great. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I almost always felt safe walking through the city at all times of the day. At night, walking with other students was definitely safer (and recommended by the program), especially on weekends. The housing security was very responsive when there was a small incident at 3AM, which was really nice. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I met a great group of friends for the program, the location is awesome, the program offers a big variety of events and courses. |
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) |
I personally went out a lot and explored the city as much as I could, so I spent more than a lot of the other students. Even so, it was much less expensive than I anticipated. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~$200+ |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Walk/bus as much as possible to save on taxis. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | Introduction |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
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
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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 would plan for grocery shopping better. It's seems like a small thing, but I hadn't thought about how frequently you have to shop with a small fridge in comparison to American sized fridges. Also, I would get better acquainted with the map of Galway the first week! I explored a lot, but still missed some areas of the city without even realizing. |
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. |
