Dublin: the Best Experience of my Life! Past Review

By (History/Social Science, Eastern Connecticut State University) for

American College Dublin: Irish Language & Culture Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I absolutely loved studying abroad in Dublin. I was able to learn so much about Irish society, history, and culture, while also getting to see a variety of sights within the city. This also provided me with the opportunity to travel throughout Ireland as we took multiple tours around County Dublin, as well as tours to Galway, Cork, and Northern Ireland--we even went so far as to take a weekend trip to Scotland! In fact, I loved this experience so much that I am returning to Dublin this summer for research, and hope to return again in the future!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I went to ACD for eight weeks and took four classes, so I had one class at a time and each lasted for two weeks. The coursework was primarily done in class, with a bit of homework (such as a paper or two, a presentation, and/or some readings) to do outside of class. This was because ACD strongly encourages students to learn by exploring the city of Dublin. They do this by arranging field trips as a class/school to multiple museums (such as the National Gallery, the National History, and the Natural History museums), points of interest within the city center of Dublin (such as Dublin Castle and Croke Park), and even to places to view Dublin's natural beauty (such as Bray Head). Teaching styles varied by class, but largely relied upon lecture or discussion and film-watching. And the grading system was number-based with different values correlating to our letter grades--but overall, all of the grades transferred correctly.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I felt very comfortable going to ACD because they made a great effort to contact everyone and begin informing them about Dublin before we even left. I knew that I could contact the program director if I had any problems, and throughout I often stopped by his office to talk to him about things that were going on. He was constantly accessible and extremely helpful. He also helped to engage us in activities around the city by telling us about events that were occurring every week, as well as by coordinating activities that we could participate in, such as learning how to play Gaelic football and hurling. I feel like he helped me to make the most out of my trip to Dublin.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Although all of the students went to school in the United States, many were born in other countries, so we were able to meet and live with a variety of international students. The apartment itself had a full I(and fully-stocked) kitchen, living room, two bathrooms, and even a balcony. The only things we had to buy were laundry detergent to wash our clothes, dish detergent for the dishwasher, and the food to cook--though we did have to bring our own bedding and towels. Furthermore, our flat was located just one street away from Grafton Street! It was set in a perfect location becuase although it was about a ten-minute walk from the school, all types of shops, parks, restaurants, and even clubs were within blocks of our flat. Plus, even though we were extremely close to the nightlife, I still felt safe in the locked apartment.

* Food:

Due to our full and fully-stocked kitchen, they suggested a place to buy groceries. This worked extremely well because we were able to cook our own food, which helped us to save money. Restaurants were also extremely close, just steps away from our flat; though it was left to us to explore and decide where to eat as few suggestions were given about dining.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There were so many amazing experiences in Dublin. First, the entire school took the train and then hiked up to Bray Head. Also, we went on a musical and litereary pub crawl in order to learn about Irish history and culture while making our way to some of the most famous pubs. We also got to try playing Gaelic football and hurling, which was made even more memorable as we were told when the actual games were being held in Croke Park and thus got to see real athletes play the game.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I did not need any vaccines, nor was I sick at all during this trip, so I cannot comment about healthcare. However, in regards to safety, I felt extremely comfortable in Dublin. Both in my flat at any time of the day or night, as well as on the streets, I never felt scared or intimidated, particularly when I was with my peers. However, though I say that, I would recommend that no one ever walks the streets, especially at night, alone.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

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

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Other

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The friendliness and helpfulness of the ACD staff.
  • The classes were great: extremely interesting and the classes were small so teachers got to know and would help the students.
  • The different travel/touring opportunities I had within Dublin and Ireland.
* What could be improved?
  • There could be more social activities planned in order to bring the students (and even the staff) together and help them to get to know each other.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Although students do not have to be completely outgoing or even comfortable meeting new people, they MUST want to have new experiences and learn new things. People who are willing to walk around, go exploring, go on all kinds of tours, try participating in the local activities would all benefit from this program. Please DO NOT sit in the flat on the couch on the computer the entire time--go out and see Dublin!!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Early Irish Nationalism

Course Department: HPS 312
Instructor: Rory McEntegart
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Teacher was extremely knowledgeable about subject and about the area. He taught through lecture, watching movies (Michael Collins), and taking many field trips around Dublin in order to see the places we were learning about, such as the GOP, The Mansion House, Dublin Castle, etc.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

History of the Irish Famine

Course Department: HPS 401
Instructor: Rory McEntegart
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Teacher was extremely knowledgeable about subject and about the area. He taught through lecture, having students give research-based presentations to each other, and taking many class field trips around Dublin in order to see the places we were learning about, such as the Jeanie Johnson.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Anglo-Irish Writers

Course Department: ENG 212
Instructor: Piotr Sadowski
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was very interesting and allowed me to read a variety of works, such as books, short stories, and plays, from a number of authors, such as Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, John Millington Synge, etc. This class used in-class discussion, as well as video adaptations of the written works; and the location of this class was perfect as our classroom was located in Oscar Wilde's house and we took a field trip to Merrion Square across the street to see the Oscar Wilde statue. The assignments were very worthwhile and helped me to gain a better sense of the topic; and the teacher was very kind and helpful. I felt very comfortable in the classroom, and could easily express my opinions.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Cinema and Society

Course Department: BEH 319
Instructor: Colum Cronin
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was completely devoted to watching Irish films in class, examining aspects of Irish society within the films, and then comparing the films in the specified genres to American films in the same genre in order to note their differences and thus see differences between the two societies. This class was extremely interesting and very enjoyable, especially because the teacher engaged the students in discussion about the films and was able to use his personal experience to explain concepts.
Credit Transfer Issues: