IES Abroad Dublin

I went into studying abroad with very few expectations- I truly did not know what to expect! That being said, IES Abroad Dublin blew even my faint preconceived notions out of the water. The growth I was able to experience during the time I lived abroad is unmatched and I would not trade it for anything.
My living experience was a great combination of familiar and foreign. I lived in a beautiful flat in Dublin just outside of City Centre. The two girls I lived with were both from the States and we got along very well! Coming from the suburbs, it was fun to experience urban life in such a vibrant way. I had the opportunity to cook for myself often, as well, which was a nice way to save money. Anything the apartment needs, such as pots and pans, a bathroom mat, or a coat rack, IES pays for! In this living situation, I felt independent, but still cared for and looked after.
Every living arrangement has an RA who has weekly meetings with his or her residents. The meetings are pretty laid back-mostly chatting, and a few logistics of the apartment. The rest of IES staff is extremely helpful, as well. Each instructor truly invests into the students’ personal growth while in Ireland. From relevant readings in class, travel recommendations, various field trips, and hands-on learning experiences, the professors care deeply about making you feel comfortable.
Overall, my IES Dublin experience was one for the books and I truly could not have asked for a smoother study abroad opportunity. After living in Ireland for four months, I would not say I like it. No, with the help of IES I am able to call Ireland home.

If you are considering going abroad and are worried about getting cold feet...GO! It was the most amazing experience of my life, and I grew as a person and learned so much. I was signed up for study abroad and a month before I was set to leave I almost decided not to go. I am so happy I did, and getting out of my comfort zone was just what I needed. Ireland is an outstanding place to study and I can't imagine studying anywhere else. It really felt like home after only a few short weeks. I was there for 12 weeks total, and I cried when I left Dublin. I made so many new friends and memories in that city, and I am considering trying to get a job there so I can live there permanently!

IES did a great job of allowing us to balance school and travel, so it was not stressful to explore while still getting good grades. I loved all of the pubs and the traditional Irish food. The night life is awesome and the city is so urban. There are really great restaurants, bars, and shopping. The Irish culture is prevalent in the city but to get a real taste of the Irish culture you should do some exploring outside of the city. There are day trips by bus to go visit places like the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Stone, etc. It is really easy to sign up and go! I cannot stress how great this program was enough! If you are considering studying abroad, go with IES and go to Dublin- you won't regret it.

Studying in Dublin, Ireland for a semester was by far one of the best decisions I've ever made! The IES Writer's Program deepened my love for books and writing, and I'm equally happy I decided to study with them while abroad. Dublin is home to many amazing authors as well as intricate history, and being immersed in these things, as well as the culture broadened my horizons in many incredible ways. I have taken home interests and questions that I wouldn't have discovered in any other way than studying abroad, and learned about myself in valuable ways. I would highly recommend this place and program to anyone - I wish I could go back!

I had wanted to study abroad since my freshman year of college, but upon visiting the study abroad office on my campus, I became overwhelmed and did not go back until the first semester of my junior year. I had the option of graduating a semester early, but instead of taking that option, I decided to take that semester to study abroad. In order for it to be "worth it,"* I decided I needed a program that offered an internship. As an English major studying creative writing, it was hard to find a program that fit my requirements, but in the end, I found IES. Not only did IES offer a program specifically for writers, the program was in Dublin, one of UNESCO's cities of literature, and it offered an internship dealing with written works, which is what I wanted to do. The internship I ended up getting was working as a literary assistant for a theatre production company. I was astounded by IES' ability to obtain an internship that was both intriguing and relevant to what I wanted to do after college. In addition to the internship, we were also placed in high-quality apartments that came furnished with almost everything we could need. The staff at our centre was incredibly friendly and helpful, and by the time we left Dublin, they had become friends. IES also created a perfect balance between school work and free time. We didn't have Friday classes, and we were given a midterm break, but the classes were still engaging, and the teachers held high expectations for us so that it was impossible to leave Dublin without knowing quite a lot more about Irish history and culture. Apart from IES, Dublin was the perfect size. It was possible to walk almost anywhere within the city, and a day trip to the a seaside town was always only a short train ride away. Overall, it was hard to leave both the city and the people, but I will always take Dublin with me.

*I know now that it would have been impossible for my experience to not be worth it.

I couldn't have picked a better program than IES Dublin. The academics were the perfect balance of challenging and interesting but also manageable. The staff at IES tended to all of our needs and were very welcoming. For example, many of our teachers brought treats or served tea during class. The location of the program was great and very close to the center of the city. Additionally, our apartments were very nice and about a four minute walk from the center. I felt very safe the entire time I was in Ireland. The night life and social scene were great! I wish I could do it again.

When I arrived in Dublin, Ireland, I did not know a soul in the entire country. As a first time international traveler this was daunting to say the least. It took me at least an hour just to figure out what bus I needed to take from the airport to city center (growing up in the suburbs, I was not well-equipped to deal with foreign public transportation). After much stress and frustration however, I found myself on the correct bus heading into the heart of Dublin. After a few deep breaths, a quick phone call with my mom, and helpful assistance from countless strangers, I had regained enough of my sanity to make it through the rest of the day.

I got through many tough times in this same fashion, and I think one of the most important things I learned was that it's okay to ask for help. Nine out of ten times, if I asked a stranger in Ireland to help me with something they would either personally see to it or they would point me in the right direction. The staff at the IES center only reinforced this hospitality further.
I can say, with no exaggeration, that the staff at IES Abroad Dublin are some of the most kind people I have had the pleasure of encountering and interacting with. All of them-- whether it's the RA's such as Conor and Myriam or the teachers/faculty such as Stephen, Regina, Claire, and Megan-- are on the same page when it comes to kindness, selflessness, and inclusivity. Not only did this create a safe and enjoyable learning environment for the students but it also proved to be contagious. Oftentimes the positivity throughout the center was palpable, as if it floated through the air and was circulated through the vents.

This was vital to me personally as I passed through a very rough phase in my study abroad semester. To keep it short, I fell into a bad depression at a point and was not sure if I could even complete the program. A mixture of a lot of things, homesickness being one of them, led me to feeling very sad, scared, and confused. Eventually I couldn't take it anymore and I went into the center to talk with someone. As soon as I talked to Claire, who was in charge of student welfare, she brought me to her office and sat me down to talk about what was going on. Without a blink she helped me to get the help I needed and, in a matter of a few weeks, I was able to continue living fully in Dublin.

What is important to note is that there was no hesitation by any of the center staff when it came to my health and well-being. Claire put in so much extra time and care to help me and I could never thank her enough for that. On top of that, the center staff and teachers were all so very understanding to my needs. They did not force me to come to class if I did not feel able and I was given all the necessary time it took to get my assignments completed. The bottom line is that the IES Abroad Dublin staff are absolutely superb and one-of-a-kind. I feel very grateful to have met them and been taught very valuable life skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Their kindness and sincerity go unmatched.

Best wishes,
Danny

Put bluntly, the IES direct enrollment program to the Gaiety School of Acting is the single best theatre program for an acting student who is also looking for foreign culture immersion. Gaiety puts you directly into their class of first years, creating an ensemble-focused curriculum that allows you to make lifelong friends with native Irish students. This gave me the opportunity to see Dublin through their eyes and experiences, giving me a whole new appreciation and love for my temporary home.

Dublin is the best city for theatre-lovers I've ever visited. You can see shows at the historic Abbey Theatre, learn about the rich tradition of Irish theatre while at Gaiety, and see and read the work of some of the best playwrights like Sean O'Casey, Marina Carr, and Conor McPherson. The best part is that you can see the vast majority of the best theatre in town for about 15 euro a seat (a far cry from the billion dollars you need to pay to see Hamilton this summer).
At Gaiety, you will take about thirteen classes, with some being just an hour and half a week while the more crucial ones are about 11 hours a week. These are everything from traditional conservatory classes like Acting, Voice, and Movement, to special skill classes like Singing, Mime, and Stage Combat. However, the greatest class Gaiety offers is Manifesto. In this class, every student gets to create short pieces of theatre, through which actors find their purpose in the field, what story the want to tell, and how they like to tell it. For example, through my four pieces I created, I found out that I enjoy doing stylized, minimalist pieces with a lot of audience interaction.

My experience in Dublin was so wonderful that I'm already looking forward to going back. And when I do, I will have great friends in my classmates, tutors, and even IES employees who I can't wait to see again. There's no other program like Gaiety out there. If you're gonna go abroad, go here.

Being the first black student in my family to study abroad and also live/work in Dublin Ireland for 3 1/2 months was an eye opening and worthwhile experience. At first I didn't have the vision to study abroad because I didn't believe there was anything for me by doing so. When I was encourage by several staff members and family, I finished the application in two weeks, received plenty of help financially, and the staff when I got to Dublin were incredibly welcoming. I took 5 classes, did a 15 hour a week internship, and still had time to plan day trips to parks, theaters, local museums, and galleries, absorbing and really interacting with the culture. It was incredible to be able to travel so easily to Europe (Where I spent 4 days in Rome) and meet people from around the world even on a tight budget. The IES program is really dedicated to seeing students succeed and feel safe, empowered, and open-minded. I'm proud to have made the choice to go abroad for a short time and I want to reach out to other ethnically underrepresented students to do the same. It's worth it!

Here's a mini-summary of my field trip to Northern Ireland. I stayed in Portrush in a nice hotel with my classmates for the weekend along with two advisers. Day one we went to Belfast and took a trip through the museum and learned about the history of the titanic. That same night we ate at a local restaurant and had fresh food and desserts delivered to our seats and got a chance to interact with the locals. The next day we went to Carrick-a-rede rope bridge and crossed over to a small island, took a tour of the 400 year old Bushmills Distillery, and visited The Giants Causeway. The last day, Sunday, we went to Dunluce Castle, Castlewellan Forest Park and Peace Maze, and arrived back in Dublin Sunday evening. There's plenty to do in Ireland, if you're willing to make the first step by getting there.