An Indescribable Experience Past Review
By Emma D (Mechanical Engineering., Michigan State University) - abroad from 06/25/2013 to 08/02/2013 with
USAC Ireland: Galway - Irish Literature, History, and Music
By surrounding myself with people I had never met while in a country I had never visited, I learned more about myself than I could have anticipated. Stepping out of my comfort zone opened my eyes to so many things I had never experienced, and allowed me to meet people that I now consider some of my best friends. I learned what it means to adjust to a culture that is not my own, and grew to understand the influences of history in another country, and how it shapes the local people. The trip let my adventurous side thrive, and I'm so thankful for how much I was able to explore various parts of Ireland during my time there. The experience was absolutely worthwhile, and I would do the whole thing over again in an instant!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There was a great variety of courses to choose from, each centering around the goal of learning about Irish culture. They weren't overly challenging so students were still able to take frequent weekend trips and enjoy night life during the week. All the teachers were wonderful, each of them influencing |
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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? |
Each student was given their own room that included a bed, desk, and plenty of storage for clothes and personal items. There were also two large bathrooms for the use of the four roommates. Furthermore, the kitchen came equipped, making it easier to save money by cooking daily meals. Maintenance staff came by and replaced towels, took out the trash and recycling and were very friendly. |
| * Food: |
Like I mentioned, it was very convenient to have a fully working kitchen in order to cook meals rather than having to spend money going out to eat every day. However, the choices of food in downtown Galway were wonderful, ranging from fantastic fine dining to quick, inexpensive choices. The farmer's market always provided great options for cooking ingredients, and there were a few markets within walking distance for more general groceries. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
During our trip, we met and interacted with many locals. Galway was a very young city, so there were many people our age in town regardless of the time of day. Our large group did stand out at times, which occasionally limited our interactions with the locals, but other than that I truly felt as though I was able to gain a lot of insight into their culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The overall safety of the city was great, and the people of Galway were extremely friendly and there were always helpful officers patrolling downtown. The only incident that occurred during our trip was a few students got their rented bikes stolen after leaving them parked somewhere in town for the night. I never ran into that problem, making sure to lock mine by the dorms at night rather than downtown. Otherwise, I was never afraid of my safety at any point during the trip! |
| 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) |
The difference in currency naturally led to a higher cost of living, but the ability to cook daily meals really helped cut down on food costs. I spent a little more than I should have while I was there, but I don't regret it in any way. Furthermore, you could easily have fun by going downtown to listen to local artists, explore the city, go on a hike, walk by the river, and many other things that don't involve spending money at all. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you choose to study in Galway during the summer, look ahead to the events that are taking place during the various festivals. That way you can plan on which things you'd definitely like to splurge on, and rearrange your budget accordingly. It's much better than getting caught off guard and missing awesome opportunities because you spent too much money on silly things the week before. |
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 never once regretted the trips and events I splurged on during my time in Ireland, but I did regret not having done the things I chose to turn down because of money. If there was one thing I could have realized before going on the program, it would have been that the money I saved while in Ireland could have been saved before or after the trip during my normal life at home. Having a budget while abroad is important, but if there is ever such a time to spend money, it's while taking a trip and exploring a country and culture that you've never experienced. |
