Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Outstanding! Past Review

By (Creative Writing, Oak Hills High School) - abroad from 06/12/2015 to 07/14/2015 with

American College Dublin: Irish Language & Culture Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that the world is much larger if we just get out of our bubble and explore, people are fantastic if we just get to know them and opportunities are waiting as long as we are willing to look for them.

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.

It was such an incredible experience! There are no words to say how fantastic everyone was, you just have to see it yourself!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Brilliant!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The hostess was so kind, made me feel right at home.

* Food:

I loved everything, I am however accustomed to spicy food and that was not very common, other than that everything was fantastic.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved volunteering at Sweny, really made me get a feel for the place and the people

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not expirience anyth

* Safety:

The city of Dublin is one of the safest places I have been, the people are so respectful and helpful.

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

If I had the option of doing it again my answer would be yes in the heartbeat, it was just an incredible experience

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't go overboard with souvenirs right away, there will be time to collect as many as you would like for family and friends and be mindful when you buy lunch, there are plenty delicios of option at reasonable prices.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Well, the language spoken in Ireland is English and well the only thing I had to get used to was the accent and a few words that are not common in the States
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • their encouragement to explore
  • the professors
  • schedule
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing that I can think of
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That it is not as scary as I thought, and it was going to impact my life in such a positive way

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.