Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Dublin: The best experience of my life! Past Review

By (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Mount St. Mary's University) - abroad from 09/16/2011 to 12/13/2011 with

American College Dublin: Irish Language & Culture Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Studying abroad in Dublin was the best experience I've ever had. I made fantastic friends and wonderful memories there. I would absolutely recommend for anyone to study abroad anywhere they can. For me, Dublin was the perfect, most magical city. It was a city for sure, but it was also small and welcoming and immediately felt like home. I cannot stress enough what a fantastic time I had in Dublin. I miss it every day and wish that I could go back.

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.

My professors were all very nice and very helpful. As an English major, it was really cool to be reading and writing in a city that has so much literary history!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Colum was a really great "host" to have in Ireland! He & everyone at ACD made us feel right at home in Ireland.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our apartment was in the absolute BEST location! It was right off of Grafton Street in the heart of the city. Everything was a very easy to get to.

* Food:

We were right down the street from a grocery store, so we always had easy access to food! There were also a lot of restaurants around us. The only thing I didn't like was that the bacon they serve in Ireland is not the same as the kind in America!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I feel like I interacted with a lot of Irish people and got a real feel for living in Dublin!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt immediately at home in Dublin. I never once felt unsafe, even walking back from the bar late at night. We were in an excellent area and had no problems with regards to safety.

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 expensive, but I came into the experience expecting to spend a lot of money.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I probably spent about $100/week on food and other things. It varied, though. Some weeks I would go out a lot and buy a lot of stuff and other weeks I would spent almost no money. Travel was also a significant expense.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I saved money by not eating out a lot! It's a lot cheaper to cook at home. Walking everywhere means you don't have to pay for transportation. Also, if you're going out drinking, it saves a lot of money to pregame! Drinks were really expensive (5 euro each) in Dublin and they would really add up quickly. Also, when you buy souvenirs and stuff like that, get a receipt so that you can redeem the VAT when you fly back home. I did this and ended up getting a refund of like $40.

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

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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 city/location
  • Freedom
  • Overall experience was awesome
* What could be improved?
  • More organized classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had a better grasp of money and travel costs!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.