SIUE Study Abroad trip to the Burren College of Art in Ireland Past Review
By Heather K (MFA, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville) for
Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville (SIUE): Ballyvaughan - Studio Art Program in Ireland
I was able to come away with a deeper understanding of the Irish culture as well as develop a nice portfolio of photographic work.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
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 |
Staff at the college was helpful and friendly. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
House was owned by college, was very large and was located in between the town center and the college. |
| * Food: |
Food choices were quite expensive especially when eating out at a restaurant. Breakfast and lunch at the college was the most reasonably priced. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Cliffs of Moher, Inis Mor, many attractions in Dublin including galleries and Trinity College. We heard an Irish folklore story teller as well as a speaker in the music industry who lectured about types of Irish music and the history of the music. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Ireland felt very safe overall. The only safety concern was as a pedestrian due to the high volume and speed of traffic. |
| 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) |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A student open to a wide variety of experiences. My advice would be to save a lot of money beforehand and be open to new experiences and opportunities. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Advanced Photography |
| Course Department: | Art and Design, Art 422 |
| Instructor: | Steven Brown |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The course was challenging and the location allowed me to explore work specific to the region we traveled to as well as to learn about Irish culture. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
