Best experience of my life! July 03, 2022

By (Psychology, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/16/2022 to 05/15/2022 with

IFSA: Dublin - Trinity College

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was honestly the best experience of my life! I came back so much more confident and knowledgeable about myself. I cannot say enough good things about the overall experience. I would highly recommend going abroad to any college student. I gave 9 instead of 10 stars due to lack of organization on IFSA's part.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Some of the professors were exceptional and some were average. Overall, the education was stimulating and good. The criticism I have with the university is that I was constantly left without direction from professors. In one class, I asked the professor continuously throughout the class how to study for assignments and what my essays should be on. She would constantly tell me to "not study for the test, just use your intuition." However, the tests and essay would have oddly specific rubrics that did not match up with the vague prompts she gave. This repeated in varying extents throughout the other classes I took.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everyone I talked with at IFSA was friendly and warm. However, they barely had any interactions with us after the introductory zoom meetings. They advertised that we would take trips together but then canceled the trips due to COVID. The in-Dublin activities that they organized in place of those trips were very few and very far between. I loved Ireland but wished I had been on a program with more in-person activities.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I got excellent housing through IFSA! I had my own room and bathroom with a shared kitchen. My suitemates were other American study-abroad students. The building was very modern and in the city center of Dublin.

* Food:

Food was allocated through the IFSA program, but I purchased my own ingredients/meals at local grocery stores. I am gluten-free and was able to find options to fit that need in Ireland. My gluten-eating friends had an even easier time finding good food.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Although people knew right away that I was American from my accent, pretty much every Irish person I met in and outside of Trinity College was extremely welcoming. I have never been somewhere with such friendly people. I felt very included. I also joined a local Church near my apartment; the Priest there went out of his way to welcome me to the Church.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I thought COVID was handled well in Ireland. I had a couple of exposures and would be sent free COVID tests in the mail by the Irish government. I believe the COVID vaccine was required for the program. Beyond that, I did not have any other interactions with Irish healthcare.

* Safety:

I felt relatively safe in Dublin but I would advise against walking alone at night. I also avoided nightclubs and crowded pubs. Taking these precautions, I was able to avoid any safety issues.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I would definitely choose Ireland again. However, I might prefer a smaller city like Galway or Limerick. I also might choose an organization other than IFSA. I was very disappointed in the lack of activities/interaction provided.

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)

Food was expensive, especially considering my gluten free diet. However, it seemed reasonable compared to cities in the United States and much cheaper than cities in the UK.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $120 a week for food and household needs (laundry, etc.).
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Download a free money tracking app. Mine was super helpful for remembering how much I had spent. I used "Money Manager."

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?
  • Housing was excellent
  • IFSA staff were kind and warm
* What could be improved?
  • IFSA barely planned any activities for us
  • Class and department selection was confusing and poorly guided
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that IFSA was not going to do any of the overnight or out-of-Dublin trips that they advertised. (They claimed this was because of COVID, but that did not make sense to me since they barely planned anything within Dublin either.) I also wish I understood class selection worked beforehand. I accidentally choose a higher-level art history class that I was unqualified for. I asked the professor beforehand and was told there were no prerequisites. I wish I was given more accurate information on this.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.