Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Raining Liquid Sunshine Past Review

By (Washington State University) - abroad from 01/05/2016 to 05/15/2016 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Galway, Ireland

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
A chance to compare my life to the lives of international college students. I also learned about my heritage, and gained a better understanding of my Irish family. It was so worthwhile.

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 felt the coursework was appropriate for the age of the students taking the class. The experience was an eye-opener to the different structures of college classes in other countries.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Lots of problems with the flat and the landlords. Could've been a lot better.

* Food:

I am a vegetarian, and I still found great opportunities to try new foods.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No complaints, but I never needed to use the healthcare.

* Safety:

Overall, very safe. The program coordinator took care to help us out when we needed it. I was in Ireland during the Brussels bombing, and my program coordinator immediately emailed everyone to let them know what happened.

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

I appreciated the coordinator who took the group on excursions and looked out for us when we had problems. The excursions were well-planned and very fun, but I also had time to travel on my own.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? fifty euro each month
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? give yourself allowances for groceries, events, souvenir spending, etc.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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 excursions
  • friendly people
  • fun despite the bad weather
* What could be improved?
  • better housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I was given quite a bit of information before going and I did my own research ahead of time.

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.