A Semester In Dublin Past Review
By Riley M (Journalism, Virginia Commonwealth University / VCU) - abroad from 09/14/2015 to 12/19/2015 with
Ireland Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
Discovered my own independence, my love for traveling, and learned how to better communicate across cultures/perspectives. More than worthwhile... I learned more about myself this semester than I have the other 3 years of college.
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. |
Relatively average intensity. Registration process was confusing for a lot of students. Professors could be unspecific or vague in instructions, but offered an openness in the classroom. Average on-campus resources. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
On-site administration was present, but could be unreliable to communicate with at times. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Decent dorm/suite style living. Each 2-bed room has its own bathroom (a nice feature), but communal spaces, kitchen in particular, was below average. |
| * Food: |
Only a few meals offered throughout the program. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Didn't feel particularly integrated, as Griffith College is pretty independent and did not house a large amount of Irish students. Features of an international school offer an insight into many cultures at once, however. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Health care very easily accessible and mostly covered by program. No particular health issues present in the host city at that time. |
| * Safety: |
Dublin is pretty safe, as long as you're smart. Typical big city precautions: watch your belongings, walk in brightly lit areas, travel in groups, etc. Area around Griffith feels safe, but there are definitely areas to avoid. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The only thing I would change is to possibly pick a smaller Irish city like Galway. |
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) |
Dublin can be a pretty expensive city. Eating out is expensive, and drinks at a bar/pub add up quickly. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $100- 150 on average |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at home, make a weekly budget, but know when to treat yourself. |
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? |
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? | To not be afraid to explore/adventure by myself. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe 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. |
