Ireland is one of the most amazing places on Earth Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/03/2018 to 12/14/2018 with
Trinity College - Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I got to travel around the beautiful country of Ireland, and learning to travel by myself was really rewarding. I have wanted to see Ireland my whole life so this was really a dream come true. My classes in Irish history were a great complement to my experience. I also met some amazing people from around the world with whom I hope to keep in touch.
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. |
The lecturers were very knowledgeable and the tutorials were engaging, but there were very few assignments during the term and at least 80% of our grade was dependent on the final exam. This kind of assessment felt rushed iand not conducive to long-term retention of the material. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Global Room and the Study Abroad officer were very helpful, especially regarding immigration. Unfortunately the immigration process is very long, expensive, and difficult to navigate. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Comfortable, great facilities and much closer to campus than most student housing, but quite expensive. |
| * Food: |
Food in Ireland is very cheap! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Great music, great pubs, great craic. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I did hear about some isolated mugging incidents, but in general Dublin is an incredibly safe city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Although Trinity is a big university with a lot of differences from Wellesley, it is the best university in Ireland and the most central location you can possibly get. |
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) |
There are great places to get incredibly cheap food and necessities in Dublin, like Lidl, Dealz and Penney's. However, travel is quite expensive, and it's easy to spend a lot of money on coffee and souvenirs. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Go to Lidl and Dealz for groceries, Penney's for houseware and toiletries, and take Ryanair flights--if you book them early enough you can get flights for 10 euro. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | How to navigate the immigration service (make an appointment before you get to Dublin!). |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
