IES Dublin is really supportive!

The Writer's Program was a fantastic experience for me. I learned a lot from everyone at the IES Center (special shout-out to Stephen, the writer's program coordinator) and felt I had a lot of opportunities to explore Ireland. Dublin is a great city if you study writing or English; lots of literature has come from Dublin, and there are lots of good resources to learn more about Irish literature (the Writer's Museum, the Yeats Exhibition at the Library, etc.). We read a lot of Irish writers for homework. IES planned a lot of great cultural events and field trips. As a spur of the moment trip we attend a Moth Story Telling Slam twice as well as a Martin McDonagh play at the Gaitey Theatre. Our professor also took us to see Moonlight, which was awarded the Oscar while I was abroad. There's lots to do and explore in Dublin (more than the Guinness Storehouse, I assure you), and while eating out is expensive, Dublin is fairly student-friendly. Ireland is also an amazing country; I loved the hikes and the coast line. If you plan on flying out to Europe every weekend, which many students do, the Dublin Airport is easy to access and Ryanair and Aer Lingus will be your friends. I would definitely recommend this program.