The craic Past Review
By A student (Marketing., Illinois State University) - abroad from 08/04/2012 to 05/24/2012 with
Waterford Institute of Technology: Waterford - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
i learned about an enormous amount of other cultures and people from traveling but mainly form the international society, they were some of the best people i have met. it was one of the best experiences of my life, of course it was worthwile
Review Photos
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. |
i felt i adequately learned the objectives of the class. However the work load was non-existent, i feel like i didn't even do anything for my grade. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
the administration was incredibly helpful to me and all the international students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
places are expensive but easy to find/ lease. Rent in town, not near the school. |
| * Food: |
talk to the exchange society members and get them to cook food for you, Ireland isn't known for their flavorful food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
the Irish of the international society were incredibly friendly and inclusive of us. The other students were generally accepting, but seemed closed off to us, especially to those who spoke English as a 2nd or 3rd language. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
healthcare was easily accessible through the school. their system seemed similar to ours. no there were no major health issues in the region and i did not require vaccination. |
| * Safety: |
don't go into Ballybeg. there are nearly no police in the town and crime is as you would expect with that being the case. there are a few isolated muggings, but you will usually be safe if your not alone. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
The combination of the euro and Ireland's economy made everything expensive |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | No |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100-150$ |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | buy flight tickets fro the discount airlines and either well before hand, also traveling to less popular destinations that are close to were you want to go can save a lot of money. make absolutely certain you have a sub-leaser for any apartment you have in the states. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | the trick to traveling cheaply and for incredible adventures is going wherever the cheapest ticket goes at the airport you are at day of. |
