IES Dublin

Dublin is an incredible city. It's extremely walkable, so I saved a lot of money on transportation while still sightseeing. The airport was easy to get to, and cheap Ryanair flights to various countries were plentiful. The DART train allowed us to take quick day trips or half day trips when we had a spare morning for exploring another coastal city or cliff walk.

The program is very small, and we all become close friends as a result. The staff members are incredible, and the courses are all very interesting. Even though we were living an ocean away from home, having friends who were American helped ease the culture shock as we all adjusted together. Everyone we met, from the owner of a coffee shop down the street to the tour guide on Paddy Wagon tours, was friendly, and I felt completely comfortable in the city as a result.

On a typical day, I would get ready and walk to class around 9:30am. My first class would end around 12:30, so a group of people would either eat lunch at the center or go out to eat at a cafe. Sometimes we would go visit a museum or do something in the city center in the afternoon. Otherwise, we would work on homework before the afternoon/evening class in the IES center. After class, we often made "family dinners" and watched movies while working on homework.

The staff at the IES center are absolutely the best. From the very moment I stepped away from the baggage claim, they helped welcome us to Dublin and introduce us to all things Irish. I always felt cared for, and they made sure we knew that they would do whatever they could if we ever needed anything. They excelled at serving as tour guides (both in Ireland and by making suggestions for other cities we wanted to visit), friends, and instructors.

The biggest challenge I faced abroad was learning to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. At first, almost everything I encountered, from ordering at restaurants to navigating the bus system, felt challenging, new and a bit daunting. Within a month or two, the city began to feel like home, and I learned how to simply ask for help when I was confused or else fake the confidence.