The best choice I ever made and the best four weeks of my life!! Past Review

By (English And Communications, Eastern Connecticut State University) - abroad from 05/26/2006 to 06/24/2006 with

American College Dublin: Irish Language & Culture Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This was by far the most amazing experience I've ever had. I was able to see so much of what Dublin had to offer and travel locally around Ireland. I gained confidence and personal strength from traveling abroad alone and having the chance to be apart of another culture. I kick myself every day for leaving and not moving back there. I would give anything to be able to go back and experience more of what Dublin has to offer.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took two classes over the course of a month and, even though they were brief, they were incredibly well structured and covered a lot of material. For the Anglo-Irish Writers course, we read several great books and even traveled to the James Joyce museum.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I felt the whole experience at ACD was very well organized and attentive to the needs of the students. There was staff at the airport to assist in my travel to the dorm; very well structured process for assigning rooms and roommates; a wonderful orientation weekend; and always offerings of activities for us to do outside of our classes. One thing I thought was a great touch was during the orientation they familiarized us all with many of the slang words and phrases so we wouldn't embarrass ourselves or others.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

When I was there we were housed in the International Student residence hall on Lower Mount St and it was a fantastic facility. Staff members were stationed at a reception desk by the entrance 24/7 and always happy to help us with questions, directions, ordering food to be delivered after the kitchen was closed and any other things we may need. The rooms were very spacious and well maintained and there was easy access to everything.

* Food:

The food was great! We had two meals prepared every day and there were always alternate options. I remember the food was always very fresh and well prepared. There were a lot of American style dishes available which helped to not make me feel too homesick or culture shocked.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There were plenty of opportunities for us to travel throughout the city and visit the local pubs to get a feel for the local culture. The school organized groups of us to go to pub crawls, museums, castles, and other tours. I thought they were great ways to introduce us to not only the Irish culture but the livelihood of the city of Dublin.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't really run into any major health care needs. I recall one night having an irritated throat and the staff member in the residence hall was very helpful and willing to take me for care in the morning if needed. I did not need any vaccines nor experience any significant health issues.

* Safety:

I always felt very safe in the residence hall and while traveling around the city. There were always people from the program to travel with, but even on the rare occasions I was walking around on my own, I never felt scared or uncomfortable.

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)

It was fairly easy to live on a student's budget especially since they proved two meals a day at the residence hall. Therefore, I usually only had to pay for one meal a day. There were many great tours available that were very reasonably priced and museums that were free to get into. And you could literally walk anywhere in the city so travel fare wasn't very much.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I don't entirely recall, but I would estimate roughly $100/week or slightly more.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Hostels are great places to stay at when you're traveling and they don't cost very much in comparison to most hotels. Find a local information center - they have great package deals and a lot of affordable options.

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

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The ability to study local literature and films.
  • The encouragement to travel and take in as much as possible.
  • The warmth and friendliness of all the faculty and staff members.
* What could be improved?
  • Perhaps include more traditional Irish food in the dining menu.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish more than anything that I had chosen a longer program. I thought 4 weeks would be enough for me to have the experience but not get too homesick. I felt more homesick for Ireland when I return to America then the other way around. If I could do it again, I would have gone for at least a semester.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Anglo-Irish Writers

Course Department: English
Instructor: Piotr Sadowski
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was wonderful. Challenging in that we read 4-5 books over the course of two weeks. The instructor was incredibly knowledgeable and invested in the subject matter. We traveled to the James Joyce museum which was one of my favorite memories of my time in Ireland. Overall, I was very impressed with the class and felt it was worth every moment.
Credit Transfer Issues: