Caring staff, extensive support and fun excursions

One of the things I loved the most about IFSA-Butler was the staff. The people working for IFSA in Ireland are some of the most caring and fun people I met while I was abroad. They did their absolute best to make sure not only that everyone's needs were met, but that they enjoy themselves, and it showed. They provided support before the semester even started with pre-departure emails with information on what to expect while traveling to Ireland and once you arrived in addition to help selecting housing. They were gracious about answering any question, in person or through email, no matter how seemingly trivial spanning any topic from academic-related to social to where to go in town for certain shopping needs. They would also host casual events at the office to just hang out and eat good food or watch TV. The IFSA staff also did a great job of balancing this support with independence. All of the support was there for you if you need it, but it wasn't forced upon you. They were always there if/when you needed them. I grew very close to the Dublin IFSA staff members, and I know I will visit them when I hopefully go back.
Above all, my best memories through IFSA were in the Culture and Community class they provide. This non-academic, optional class met once a week exposed me to so many aspects of Irish culture and current affairs I never would have known before. It was held in the cozy IFSA office, and we would all sit on couches and have tea and biscuits. The short assignments were thought-provoking, as well as the discussions we had. I met new people in the program through this class that I had a lot in common with.