Why I'll Forever Identify as "Iowaish" Past Review
By A student (Public Relations, Advertising, Applied Communication, Loras College) - abroad from 01/03/2015 to 05/31/2015 with
IADT - Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology: Dun Laoghaire - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
What didn't I gain from this experience! An overwhelming sense of independence was one of the most prominent feelings I remember coming over me during my time abroad. If I can make it in a big city 4000 miles away from anything I've ever known, I'm pretty confident I can live almost anywhere.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
At the Irish school we attended, the class was incredibly easy. The course by the professor that came with us to Ireland had some tough days, but wasn't too overwhelming at all. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
If this is referring to our internship contacts, the woman we primarily worked with was not the most reliable or honest person. However, since I absolutely loved my internship, I have little room to complain. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The living arrangements were much different than I imagined (8 people in one apartment- wow!) But I realized the location of our apartment was worth any shortcomings that came with our temporary home. |
| * Food: |
I don't think I had a meal I didn't enjoy! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was able to meet a lot of Irish people at pubs, but I still tended to gravitate towards other Americans. When I did talk to Irish people, I also felt like a bit of an outsider, and we would usually end up talking about the differences between the U.S. and Ireland. By the end of my stay I definitely did feel like I had a better handle on the Irish culture, especially after working at an art gallery for four months where I interacted with Irish people every time I worked. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had to go to the doctor twice during my stay, and both times the doctors office got me in the day after I called and were right on time with my appointment. Both times the doctors were genuinely kind people, so I felt like they had my best interests at heart. It actually seemed far easier than the ordeal you have to go through in the States with filling out insurance information and everything. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very comfortable walking by myself in Dublin during the day without a doubt. At night, the area surrounding our apartment was very nice so I also was okay if I had to walk a short distance alone. I did hear some scary things about other parts of Dublin, which is why I didn't rate it a 5, but in my experience it was very fine. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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 would say I handled the budgeting aspect very well, almost too well in hindsight. For the first two months, I was so stingy because I was terrified of running out of money. Because of that, I restricted myself a bit too much (not that I still didn't have some fun of course!) By March I realized that this was the experience of a lifetime, and while I didn't need to be throwing money around on stupid things like some students do, I also needed to get the most of the experience and splurge a little. I actually think it ended up being the perfect balance. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Roughly 50 Euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | While eating out is fun and part of any study abroad experience, it quickly eats away at your bank account. Find a local market or grocery store and find some inexpensive options for easy meals throughout the week. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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 been told how cold it gets in Ireland and to bring a WINTER COAT. (The students that had studied in Dublin the previous year had told us not to bother with winter coats. Terrible recommendation.) |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
