Best Culturally Immersive Acting Program Past Review
By Heather G (Drama, Theater, Theatre Arts, Denison University) - abroad from 08/31/2015 to 12/12/2015 with
IES Abroad: Dublin Direct Enrollment - National Theatre School of Ireland-Gaiety School of Acting
Definitely. I grew immensely as a theatre maker and as a person.
Review Photos
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 |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Jaw-dropping Scandinavian-style apartment in one of the best neighborhoods in Dublin--I didn't want to leave! |
| * Food: |
Fresh ingredients in Ireland are top notch--especially the dairy and vegetables! I fell in love with brown bread, rashers, and Irish yogurt. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Befriending Irish students is so easy in this program! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had a bit of an injury while I was abroad that necessitated an emergency room trip. But getting to the hospital, payment, and care was all really easy. IES even sent one of their employees to spend the evening with me after the accident while my roommates were away! |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Put bluntly, the IES direct enrollment program to the Gaiety School of Acting is the single best theatre program for an acting student who is also looking for foreign culture immersion. Gaiety puts you directly into their class of first years, creating an ensemble-focused curriculum that allows you to make lifelong friends with native Irish students. This gave me the opportunity to see Dublin through their eyes and experiences, giving me a whole new appreciation and love for my temporary home. And it did feel like home. I loved everything about it--from passing the statue of Oscar Wilde every day on my walk to and from school, to the farm fresh cheese and milk in the supermarkets, to having the prettiest Irish seacoast only a ten minute train ride away. Additionally, Dublin is the best city for theatre-lovers I've ever visited. You can see shows at the historic Abbey Theatre, learn about the rich tradition of Irish theatre while at Gaiety, and see and read the work of some of the best playwrights like Sean O'Casey, Marina Carr, and Conor McPherson. The best part is that you can see the vast majority of the best theatre in town for about 15 euro a seat (a far cry from the billion dollars you need to pay to see Hamilton this summer). My experience in Dublin was so wonderful that I'm already looking forward to going back. And when I do, I will have great friends in my classmates, tutors, and even IES employees who I can't wait to see again. There's no other program like Gaiety out there. If you're gonna go abroad, go here. |
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) |
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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? | 10+ |
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? | Be prepared to be radically changed and open to whatever weirdness drama school throws at you. And always be on time for warm up. |
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. |
