One of the best decisions I've made in my school career! Unforgettable! Past Review
By Tim F (Government and Politics, Utica College of Syracuse University) - abroad from 05/24/2010 to 06/18/2010 with
American College Dublin: Irish Language & Culture Program
I gained insight about the perceptions of America and Americans from people of other countries. More importantly, I learned about the history and culture of a country that I have a special affinity toward.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses that I took were interesting and enlightening. The course load was about what I would expect for a summer session course, and while there were certain time demands, it was not overwhelming. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff at ACD was fantastic in aiding students throughout course registration, and provided all the help needed regarding getting acquainted to the city of Dublin. I was impressed with the friendliness and professionalism of all the staff. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The apartment I was provided with was safe, clean, and convenient. The location was great, and it had all the necessary appliances to make my time there convenient. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I almost immediately felt at home in Ireland and particularly in Dublin during my time there. My classmates were friendly and tight-knit, and the Director of Study Abroad at ACD helped students familiarize themselves with Irish culture and the city of Dublin. ACD also organized student activities that made integration quite seamless. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Dublin is one of the safest cities I've been to. I remember going for a walk downtown and along the River Liffey around 1 AM, and did not feel one bit uneasy. A high level of foot traffic makes for many watchful eyes, which contributes to the overall level of safety in the city. |
| 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) |
Having a grocery store close by, and having a full kitchen in my apartment made it easy to live more cheaply by not having to go out and eat every night. Any superfluous costs incurred on food and drink were by choice, and not out of necessity. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Dunne's grocery Store. |
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? | Direct Enrollment |
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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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? | Nothing comes to mind. |
