CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Dublin, Ireland

Of course I made life long friends, but I also gained personal values and skills that will stick with me for the rest of my life. CAPA allowed me to develop myself, my understanding of the world and life, and realize how trivial we all can be. I had a chance to step out of my bubble I call America, and see myself, my society for what it truly is. I changed the way I view other cultures because America has fairly ethnocentric views for being a "melting pot" of a country. I had the chance to travel to places where english was NOT their first language so I adapted (so use to the other way around). I even had the chance to intern in Dublin so I had a chance to not only learn about another culture but to work IN that culture. Some experiences are hard for me to verbalize but I promise to anyone, you won't regret a single day. Even if you just lay in bed and procrastinate on your work (which we all do), you will enjoy that lazy day in Ireland. CAPA had all turns, curves, drops, excursions, etc. planned and figured out prior to me even registering for the program. Any question or concern I had during my stay was answered on site or within a few hours. CAPA is prepared and BEYOND qualified to be your study abroad host.

I can honestly say that studying abroad was the best thing I ever did for myself. My eyes have been opened, and my worldview has expanded because of it. I was nervous to go abroad, but I was looking for new adventures. Studying abroad in Dublin with CEA gave me that and so much more. I never knew how much I would fall in love with Ireland.

I never thought I would have friends from France, Spanish housemates, or an Irish teacher that changed my life. All the experiences I had abroad, I never thought would happen to me. I was pushed outside my comfort zone every day and am so thankful for that. My time abroad helped me grow as a person, increase my confidence, and feel like I am able to take on anything life throws my way.

Dublin is an INCREDIBLE city. It is so vibrant and fun! There is always something going on. Dublin is more diverse than you would ever imagine. There are so many amazing food vendors and restaurants. The people I met in Dublin were some of the nicest I have ever met in my life.

CEA is the perfect program to go abroad with. The staff are so helpful throughout the whole process. We went on fun trips with the school and I was able to travel on my own. The Dublin staff are incredibly kind and brilliant. The classes I took always kept me interested. Another benefit of this program is that you're partnered with a European school. Therefore allowing you to have classes and meet people from all over Europe. I think that was one of my favorite parts about this program. I will forever keep adventuring because of my time with CEA in Ireland.

This experience was absolutely incredible. I was given the tools to work professionally and effectively through my internship opportunity with the Bridge Project. Bridge allowed me to work directly and indirectly with previously violent offenders (males). It is an organization that fights recidivism in the Dublin community, as well as promotes strong and healthy relationships with the men and their probation officers. There, I was able to work on several projects immersing myself and the men into the community. This experience couldn't have happened without CAPA's dedication to getting their student's into internships. Academically, I was challenged through a diverse mix of cultural courses, and found I was very ignorant to world history/Ireland history before this experience, so I gained so much from CAPA's curriculum and Griffith College's courses as well. .

My time in Ireland is certainly not what I expected but it was wonderful. Like the title says, the administration at CEA Dublin is one of the biggest reasons why I had a great time. They are the most fun, loving, engaged, and thoughtful group of people I have every met and genuinely care about each student in the program. The trips the school has planned are excellent and very accommodating. I would definitely recommend CEA Dublin to anyone.

The academic experience was exactly what I was looking for in a study abroad program: it was challenging to the extent that it kept me interested and engaged, but lenient enough that it allowed me to explore my international city, learn from experience, and become more independent in the process.The administrative and organizational CAPA staff in Dublin were phenomenal. Not only did they provide a platform of social and emotional support, but were extremely engaged in our academic and experiential lives. Any issue I had at all, they were easily and readily accessible and always eager to help.I decided to partake in an internship while I was abroad, and thus I felt extremely integrated in the local community and culture. My bosses and colleagues were all Irish and we were heavily immersed in the Irish working class community, as well as the youth community. In terms of housing and living. At times it did feel a l little isolated being on a university campus, however, a majority of the students living on campus were international thus it was easy to meet new people not in the program and build those connections. Dublin felt like an extremely safe city. We were new to the city and though it took us a couple weeks to navigate the city and the public transportation system, during this process of navigation all members of the public were so helpful in directing you to the right way, or recommending places to eat/drink/tour/see. The sense of community in Dublin is astounding and whether you are from Ireland or not, they always make a point to make you feel included as well as safe. Dublin is a city and thus I would not recommend anything reckless or dangerous, and since it is a city, to simply use common sense, however, I did not once feel like I was in danger in any sort of way. CAPA is unique in that it allows you to use an internship as a form of experiential learning, an extremely important aspect of education in my opinion. I loved feeling connected to the community, and simply living in Ireland. I truly fell in love with the city and wish I could go back and spend another year there.

The classes were very informative and I learned a lot that I would not have experienced in the United States. The CAPA Dublin staff are amazing and very helpful with every aspect of the study abroad experience. I felt as though I was one of the locals and felt very immersed into Irish culture. I interacted with Irish locals daily through my internship and classes. CAPA Dublin offered me so many amazing opportunities that I will be forever grateful for. I learned so much through my internship and classes. Met so many great people and visited the most incredible places. I learned that it doesn't matter where you come from, your age or problems you face, you can make this experience what you want it to be. Don't be afraid to not do something just because you've never tried it before. Studying abroad is all about taking risks and exploring all the world has to offer.

Dublin was the expereience of a lifetime, from learning more about a country I've dreamt of visiting since I was a child and all its history. Meeting the friendly locals, learning their customs, reading their city and its many diverse people. Dublin is a beautiful place often overlooked but well worth the trip. It became home very fast and I miss it more and more every day, it's a peaceful fun loving place with plenty of adventure in the city just waiting for you to go out and find it. I know I did. You never know who you're going to meet on the street.

My educational experience surpassed my expectations. I learned more about the city of Dublin than I imagined I would. I also got hands on experience interning at a publishing company. My internship provided me with experiences that I would not have gotten working back in the United States. The work culture in Dublin relies heavily on independence of the employee so I was given more responsibility than most interns would expect to get. The administration of CAPA worked exceptionally hard to make sure all students were in a safe environment and getting as much out of the experience as possible.I couldn't have asked for a better location to live in. We were a 15 minute walk from the city center. We were constantly trying new restaurants and were rarely unsatisfied. Grocery shopping is also much cheaper than it is in the United States so we were able to save money during the week by not eating out.
By the end of the 8 weeks I felt like part of the culture. Adjusting to living in a new city took some time and we definitely stood out as tourists at first. But, by the time I was ready to leave I felt confident that I could handle all social situations in this new environment
Of the entire two months I spent in Dublin I never felt unsafe. The citizens there were always
extremely kind and friendly. I felt comfortable walking through the city even during late hours.