If you have the chance, GO TO DINGLE! Past Review
By A student (Biology, General., Sacred Heart University) - abroad from 05/17/2014 to 05/31/2014 with
Sacred Heart University: SHU in Dingle
I learned that even though I was scared to go because I didn't know anyone in the group, it was 100% worth it because I came home with 50+ new friends. It was definitely worth while, I wish I can go back to Dingle in the near future.
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. |
Loved the almost daily trips to the field to do hands on work |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Loved Sean Pol our Ireland Host instructor. Great guy, super friendly and will help you with any questions or concerns you have. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
the cottage i stayed in was super cozy and perfect for what we needed for the two weeks we stayed there. had all the necessities(fridge, oven, microwave, washer/dryer). was also in close proximity to town which made the morning walk to class easy |
| * Food: |
food in the restaurants was good, similar to pub food in america. Grocery stores had all the needed items to cook at home. most students would have breakfast and lunch at their cottages and then eat together with the group dinners. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
the locals that we met around town during shopping or in the pubs at night were super friendly. They all wanted to talk and get to know us as Americans. They would help if we needed help, and they just made us feel right at home. I know some countries you go to you feel like outcasts, but not in Ireland. Everyone is so friendly and warming that it made for an amazing experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Some of the students got sick during our 2 week stay. With the international health insurance supplied to us, they were able to get full treatment from local doctors. |
| * Safety: |
Safety in Ireland wasn't anything to worry about. The town of Dingle is small so you can walk from one side of town to the other in less than 20 minutes. As long as you walk with a friend at night you're 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) |
The exchange rate for currency when I went wasn't very good. Things like grocerys and gifts from gift shops were pretty expensive. The restaurants were reasonable prices, and alcoholic drinks were also kind of expensive. I would say I spent around $400 on food from the grocery stores and restaurants in the 2 weeks that I was there. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Around $200-250 a week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Take advantage of the grocery store and your kitchen in your cottage. Make your breakfast and lunch meals at home to save some money. Eating at a restaurant every morning, lunchtime, and evening gets very expensive. Try and buy your souvenirs early into the trip so you know how to manage your food spending money for the rest of your time there. |
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? | The true cost of expenses when there, I had to have my parents wire me more money about halfway through the program because I ran out so quickly. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
BI-299 Costal Ecology of Ireland |
| Course Department: | Biology |
| Instructor: | Rapaglia, Steele, Beekey |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | the daily field trips were great, hands on experiences, was in class from 9-4ish every day, hour for lunch. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | no issues transferring credits |
