IES Abroad Dublin – History, Politics & Social Change

My most memorable experience was definitely a weekend trip I took with the Trinity hiking club. We spent the weekend hiking through the Comeragh Mountains in County Waterford. We were lucky to get sunny weather (which is a blessing in Ireland!), so we had incredible views of the mountains all weekend. The hiking club is very diverse, with Irish students from Trinity and many international students from all over Europe. I made such great friends on this trip, and I still keep in contact with them to this day! As an engineering major, I wanted to study in an English speaking country so I could take science courses in my native language. I have always been fascinating by Irish culture, so I knew I wanted to live in Dublin. Trinity College Dublin stood out to me because it is in the center of the city, it houses world-renowned professors, and I could take classes that would fulfill my course requirements. Although I initially wanted to live with Irish students on campus to become immersed in the culture, I found that I could still fully experience Irish culture in my apartment with American students. In addition to learning more about the Irish way of life, I was surprised to develop an appreciation for American culture. I formed life-long friendships with my roommates. Additionally, since IES organized our housing, we had an 'RA,' Conor, that checked in with us once a week. If we had any problems with our accommodations (like how to get the immersion shower to work!), we could ask Conor. It was also nice to get to know a native Dubliner!

I loved my time spent at Trinity. As a full year student, I was mostly removed from the rest of the IES program since I did not take part in orientation for the half year programs. As a result, I also didn't spend much time at the IES centre, although the staff there were helpful when I needed them. I lived in TCD housing with other international students, and all of the friends I made were met through Trinity societies (like club) and my flatmates. I lived about forty minutes walking distance away from Trinity and close to Rathmines, a suburb of Dublin which had just about everything I could need. Courses at TCD were challenging but very enjoyable. Because I was there for the full year, I had an exam in May which made up the whole of the grade for a class that I took in the fall, and while that was scary, it made me feel just like all the other students at Trinity. Going for the full year allowed me to make solid friendships with Irish and international students through school and let me live like an Irish student for a year, as opposed to just being a visiting American. I very much enjoyed my time at TCD and I would gladly do it all over again.

I have hardly any complaints about my semester spent abroad in Dublin, Ireland. Dublin is a perfect sized city filled with culture, parks, museums, pubs, and amazing restaurants and shops. Ireland is a relatively small country so it was simple to travel anywhere desired in Ireland. Bus and train tickets were cheap and easily accessible for any destination in Ireland. I loved the people, the food, the night life, and my program. IES abroad was everything I asked for in a school. The staff and professors were amazing and dedicated people. They truly cared about our academics as well as our cultural immersion. Academics: The professors I had while abroad were some of the best professors of my life. They made the topics interesting, personal, and truly cared about their students. Living Situation: I was in a small house apartment that was very nice, but very far from my abroad center and the city center. The actual house was a great one, but the distance was frustrating at times. Cultural Immersion: Everyone in Ireland was very friendly and laid back. It was also a huge plus to not have a language barrier. Social Life: Dublin is filled with pubs, clubs, restaurants, theaters, museums, parks, castles, and pretty much anything else imaginable.