Red Tape and Good Craic: A Semester in Ireland Past Review
By Kathleen L (Cinema And Media Studies, Wellesley College) for
Trinity College - Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
It was a very fun experience, made even more fun by undemanding academics.
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. |
There is very little work and, in my case, very little reading assigned to the students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The school is disorganized and often seems more interested in tourism than its students. I was unimpressed with the administration and while those involved specifically in the Semester Start-Up program were helpful, the college as a whole was not. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
This would vary entirely on a student's ability to afford or cook what food she wanted to eat. I had no problems. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I probably spent an average of 100 Euro per week, including groceries (I bought my preferred brands as opposed to the cheapest options), many trips to the movies, and pubs. This estimate is more likely low than high. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Everything is significantly more expensive, with items often costing the same number of euros as they would American dollars (i.e. something that is $5 in the US is 5 Euro, much more money, in Ireland). Food is very expensive. Also, pubs are extremely expensive and are an integral part of the culture. Almost all interaction between students occurs in pubs. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If a student can handle an inefficient government and school, and doesn't require a rigorous academic environment, this is a great experience. All nitpicking aside, I had a ton of fun and I'm glad I went. |
