An Adventure of a Lifetime Past Review
By Sarah Opinsky (Indiana University - Bloomington) - abroad from 01/02/2018 to 04/14/2018 with
IES Abroad: Dublin - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
The biggest lesson I learned was how to push myself out of my comfort zone. I think that is something that I had heard before and always thought I was doing until I got to a new city, in a new country with new people. It's easy to forget that even though doing something challenging may be a bit out of your comfort zone, doing things that would seem downright impossible to your past self are the experiences you grow the most from.
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. |
The coursework was engaging but never harder than I could manage. The professors at IES want you to stay on track for school and learn new things but also want you to have a chance to experience the new world around you. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The faculty were always ready to help with an question I had. Be it a question about an upcoming trip, school news or just where to get a good cup of coffee, the staff were always open and available. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing situation is very average, you get a room with a bed and a kitchen. The only downside is the distance of the accommodations from school. There are, however, busses that are convenient and easy to navigate. |
| * Food: |
There is nothing quite like Irish pub food. Get ready to gain a few welcomed pounds as you indulge in endless potatoes, beer and fish n' chips! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Given that they speak English in Ireland, social integration was not too difficult. It was easy to communicate with locals and make some genuine connections. It is so special to meet someone in a different country and learn about all of the ways you are similar rather than different! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did unfortunately come down with a small cold during my time in Ireland. While its always a bummer to be sick, it was nice to know that there were doctors and urgent care just steps away from the IES center and with the health insurance plan through IES taking care of myself couldn't have been easier. |
| * Safety: |
While it is a city with normal city activity, I felt incredibly safe while abroad. The IES building is accessed with a key card so you can feel secure while in class and all accommodations have some kind of entry card system as well. Overall, I felt incredibly safe while abroad. |
| 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) |
It was a bit frustrating to remember that whatever a price is listed as in Euros you were actually spending more than that in dollars, however there are tons of budget grocery stores and other ways to easily save money. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Just because you CAN go out to the pubs every night, doesn't mean you should. |
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? | 0 |
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? | No two people will have the same experience. Just because your friend loved something or hated something doesn't mean you'll feel the same. Go out and try everything while you have the chance! |
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. |
