CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Dublin, Ireland

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.

My time in Dublin was the best of my life. I met friends that I consider to be family now and still keep in touch with. It was a growing experience and I loved every second of it. The CAPA staff was beyond helpful in making us feel safe and comfortable. I NEVER felt unsafe in Dubiln. I really learned a lot about Irish history, and the internship component of the trip really made me culturally aware and it is a experience that I feel will really set me apart from others when applying for jobs.

I've always been interested in Ireland as a country, but when I started considering study abroad as an opportunity Dublin wasn't a city that even crossed my mind before I came across CAPA. I thought studying abroad meant moving to a country where everyone speaks a different language and lives a different lifestyle, and I was bracing myself to spend a year taking gen eds before trying my best to catch up on important courses in my senior year.

However, CAPA's Dublin program shockingly included every single course I needed to stay on track for the year, with a wide variety of business, marketing, writing and communications classes on offer. Likewise, I quickly realized that even though the Irish use the same words, learning how they communicate is almost as difficult as mastering a new language.

While I was initially disappointed by my internship placement in an on-campus office, since I'd been looking forward to getting out into the city of Dublin, it ended up being a great experience, allowing me to work alongside people from a variety of countries, and cater to students from around the world.

Whether you're interested in living in Ireland, or are just looking into study abroad in general, I highly recommend CAPA!

I couldn't be more happy with my decision to study abroad through CAPA's Dublin Program. CAPA gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and I am so thankful for that. Studying abroad in Dublin was a fun, eyeopening, educational, and beyond worthwhile experience. I would recommend this program and country to anyone interested in studying abroad. Dublin is fit for all people looking to have an unbelievable time while abroad!

My study abroad experience with CAPA Dublin was really enlightening. I chose to attend the summer 2016 program, as I wasn’t able to go during a traditional semester. This was one of the best decisions I could have made for myself, as I was able to gain independence and confidence. When I arrived I was expecting there to be more direct guidance and help to get us settled. I was intimidated by having to navigate the city for myself. CAPA really allows their students to orient themselves in the city which I was grateful for in the long run. This forced me to step outside my comfort zone and get to know things on my own and with my peers. That being said, the CAPA staff is incredibly supportive if you reach out with any specific questions. For example, I got sick my second week in Dublin and the staff was quick and helpful in setting up an appointment for me and getting me directions.

Aside from personal growth, through this program I was able to learn a lot about Dublin and make some great friends. Going into the program I didn’t know anyone, but by the time I left I had made some wonderful connections with the CAPA team, my peers, and some locals! The relationships that I made while abroad allowed me to get to know people from different places and backgrounds. I also learned a lot about the city of Dublin through the Global Cities class. This class enabled us to learn about the city and then go out and see for ourselves what we were reading. Another great way I learned about the city was just by walking most places, it’s amazing the things you notice. The hands on learning style was also implemented through the internship class, as we were able to learn and then apply ourselves on site. My internship was with a yoga studio right down the street from Griffith College, and I had a great experience getting to know all of the wonderful people that were a part of the community.

I interned at a social media monitoring company called Olytico, and a month into the internship the team invited me to be a part of their quarterly review in which they go on a city field trip. While reviewing the company's progress for the last couple of months we went to the leprechaun museum, practised storytelling with the help of two theatre producers and participated in a play in the Dublin Theatre Festival. This was definitely the most random yet memorable day I had in Dublin. Cracking up at the tour guide's jokes at the museum, stepping outside of my comfort zone with storytelling and running through the halls of a Georgian house with actresses as part of an interactive play made me much more of a local than if I had simply taken classes abroad. The internship is what made the difference between an ordinary study abroad experience and an absolutely amazing one.