Ireland is now my second home. Past Review
By Morgan Dill (Texas Lutheran University) - abroad from 09/04/2018 to 12/22/2018 with
API (Academic Programs International): Galway - National University Of Ireland, Galway
I gained an immense amount of knowledge for how the rest of the world works in comparison to the states, which I found it is actually really important. I also gained a lot more personal attributes - better communication skills, people skills, less anxiety about what the future holds, etc.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our directors were SUPER helpful with getting us acclimated when we first got there and even throughout our time abroad. They were both on call 24/7 and always taking us out and inviting us to do things as a group! Both Finn and Kevin were wonderful and loving, making homesickness hardly a thing and it really just gave a more personal feel to my entire time abroad. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because both of our directors were from Galway, they really helped us in being able to learn more about the actual culture of the area. We went to different events constantly that happened within Galway, ate traditional foods they had recommended, and I was even able to learn about the language from being around their children. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Health care was free on campus and very accessible, walk-ins were welcome as well as appointments if they were full that day. They were a lot faster at seeing you when you were sick compared to the healthcare here in the states, it was also much cheaper if not completely free. |
| * Safety: |
I found that Ireland, and really Europe in general, cared more about safety than we do here in the states. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I personally feel like everything happens for a reason, so by me going to Ireland I have been able to learn so much about myself and the country and make some wonderful friends that wouldn't of happened if I had gone anywhere else. I also felt like it was a perfect balance of adventure and comfort that allowed me to venture out but also keep a balanced life while I was there. |
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) |
I think this can hardly be determined with peoples past situations because everyone's trip will be different and everyone will want to do different things depending on where they are and if they have the option to travel or not. Some weeks I spent less than $100 on food, going out, etc. but then other weeks I would spend almost $600-700 for the beginning weeks food and then traveling into another country for the weekend and all I did while I was there. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Roughly $70-80 on groceries and maybe $20 or so eating out |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try and budget before you go, but give yourself A LOT of wiggle room if you can, because you will always discover new things that you will want to do or see. Determine whether or not it will be cheaper to cook or eat out for the entire time you're there, groceries can be really expensive and sometimes eating out is actually the better option. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Ireland's national language is Irish and although I tried to surround myself with it as much as possible, everyone who lives there primarily speaks English - so there was never a true language barrier. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | N/A |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Get involved and go out of your comfort zone in order to learn the language. Most of the locals know a good amount of Irish, and a majority of them love to see people trying to learn it so don't be afraid to give ti a try when ordering or saying hello. |
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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| 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? |
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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? | I wish I had focused more on what the locals do rather than what tourists do. All of the tourist attractions are great and traditional and obviously they are there for a reason, but the longer I was there the more I learned about all the hidden local treasures that were around me. And by the time I had discovered all the fun, it was almost the end of the program. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
