Ireland: A gorgeous country where anything is possible and where I had the time of my life. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I felt DePauw was much stronger in academics. I didn't have homework due for class like I do here. I only had 3-4 papers, a presentation, and a few lab reports for my classes throughout the semester besides exams. I like not having to do homework every night and on the weekends but I definitely had to cram before finals. I felt like I had to teach myself a lot while studying. The information taught wasn't easier than what it would be here and the final exams weren't "easy" per say but I only had one test for each class and that was the final exam. ALSO we didn't have to buy books which was nice. They gave a recommended reading list but never really told what to read in each book. IT was basically a long list of references and books but nobody would read these books.

On-site administration of your program

I was very impressed with my program. The women in the international office were always helpful and organized. The support services were similar to the ones we have at DePauw so everything was pretty familiar. Everyone I encountered in my program was very helpful and informative and especially nice. Everyone was very knowledgeable of Ireland as well as America. My expectations were exceeded.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a 8 person apartment that was in a student village. It was close to the bus stop and had so many conveniences located around it. I had a short scenic walk to the main part of campus that was less than 10 minutes long. I had wonderful roommates who were very easy to get along with. I had 4 other American roommates, 2 French roommates, and one German roommate. I was very pleased with my living situation. The apartment was very quaint and modern. I only had to buy a few things upon arrival (hangers, laundry basket, coffee maker etc). The two village managers of my on campus accommodation were extremely generous and helpful. They were always helping me whether I had a question about how to get somewhere in the city or if I needed school or travel advice. They really made me feel at home.

I thought the quality of food was great. I had some amazing meals in Ireland. Many foreigners question the food in Ireland but I was always satisfied with meals. The restaurants on campus also had decent food. The only problem was the campus restaurants closed fairly early. The food bought from the store would go bad much faster than America but that was just something we had to recognize and compensate for. This was because the food was so fresh and had less preservatives. The city centre had great dining. There were five star restaurants and also little pizza or kebab shops that were also good. Every weekend Limerick had a milk market in teh city center and I had some of the best food there from burgers to crepes and desserts to fresh produce. Overall I was very satisfied with the food in Ireland and in Limerick.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The city had great social events and the city offered many activities. I took part in everything I could including touring the castle in the city to an irish band concert and going to sporting events and many other activities. I traveled all around Ireland and also to other countries in Europe.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Limerick doesn't have the best reputation for safety. There are certain parts of town that I wouldn't walk alone at night but that's how it is in any city in the world. I always felt safe and never had any threatening situations but I also never traveled alone. There were garda (police) that watched over our village on campus at night. I didn't have any healthcare encounters while abroad.

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

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• Apartment

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• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students