Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Do not break your foot while abroad Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/30/2020 to 12/18/2020 with

Trinity College - Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I managed to break my foot almost immediately after arriving, and spent a week in the hospital and several more weeks bedridden. My experience was nothing at all like I expected. I was reliant on other for lots of basic needs (cooking, cleaning, getting to class) and had few opportunities to travel, and had a lot of my outings determined by accessibility. Ultimately, however, I found a lot of value in just getting to live and exist in another country for a few months. I got to spend more time focusing on learning about Ireland and doing classwork and learned a lot about subjects I can't take at Wellesley. It's a very different environment, and I think it was hard to make friends, especially after missing so much time, but that level of independents and crisis management was ultimately invaluable.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I expected large lecture classes, but all of my Modules were under 15 people. The class type was different and placed a greater emphasis on memorization than analysis sometimes, but I still got a lot out of it and had the chance to meaningfully engage with the material, though this depends on what classes you can get into. Be prepared for few (or one) assignment determining your entire grade. Courses were easier than Wellesley, but not a total breeze if you're trying to do well.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Trinity's bureaucracy is very difficult to navigate, but I felt it rarely negatively impacted my experience, and my professors and people I interacted with were very accessible.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Expensive, but Dublin has a housing shortage and ultimately the location was good. I did have to buy my own dishes/pots/pans only to donate them at the end of the semester, which was annoying.

* Food:

All self catered, very reasonable distance from Lidl and Tesco, but you have to know how to cook for yourself to make it work.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I broke my foot a week into my program, and was non weight bearing the entire duration of my stay. I felt very well supported by Trinity, though I was occasionally frustrated by the size and inaccessibility of the bureaucracy. I was in the hospital for a week, but my doctors and nurses were great. Expect longer wait times for services, but the quality of care is the same.

* Safety:

Dublin always felt very safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I loved Dublin, and I love studying Irish history. If you do not love Dublin or Ireland or have a specific reason for wanting to go, a program in a bigger, more touristy city might be the way to go.

Finances

* 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)

I spent an unexpected amount of money on transportation, due to my broken foot. Food and other expenses were very reasonable. Housing was expensive.

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

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Other
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Independence
  • Irish History!
  • The City of Dublin
* What could be improved?
  • Some classes were boring or frustrating
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I'm not sure if knowing anything beforehand would have prepared me because I ultimately had a very different experience than I could've anticipated due to factors largely outside of my control.

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 Linguist
You 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!