AIFS Abroad: Study, Intern, or Study & Intern in Ireland

This has been an incredible summer in Galway! I’m glad Global Experiences had an internship program where I could work abroad while getting credit for my university. My internship placement was really fun & I learned a lot throughout my entire time. The on-site program advisor was wonderful & super helpful! The city of Galway is a great spot if you’re looking for a smaller city vibe. It’s beautiful, quaint, & there’s lots to do here! The accommodations were great as we had our own bedroom & bathroom with a shared kitchen area. It was amazing meeting all of the other interns & we all became friends fast. It was an experience I’ll never forget! I’m glad I chose Galway!

I had no idea what to expect from this experience going in. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to go abroad and get experience that would help me in the future. Global Experiences was great helping me figure out my ideal location and ideal placement. I placed with a wonderful company. It was filled with the most kind and welcoming staff. I have never felt so comfortable and they took my thoughts and suggestions into consideration. Our point of contact here was absolutely wonderful. Any issue we had she was their to help. Anything we needed she was there to listen. Galway it's self is a charming city. It is full of history, great night life, and so many places to visit on the weekends. The eyre square is full of pubs, shops, and historical sights to see. A market happens every weekend which has so many artistic peices and food trucks. The locals are so nice to talk to and very proud of where they come from rightfully so! They will happily give you directions to the craic happening in town. They also have so many festivals it's hard not to find somthing happening in town! Lastly the accommodations are a quick bus ride into town. Even though you share a common area you have your own spacious room and bathroom. You share the common area with other GE interns. As for my experience I have made so many new friends. The other interns here are all so friendly, since we all are in the same boat we easily bonded over our interships and as time went on we become amazing friends. Overall if you are looking for a location that doesn't feel like a big city, has a big personality, and holds the most lovely people and experiences come to Galway!!!

I felt very comfortable studying abroad in a foreign city. Between my program advisor and work supervisor, I was able to adjust to living and working in Ireland pretty fast. My advisor hosted many events to educate me on the cultural history of Galway and introduced me to the social scene. My supervisor supported me in overcoming obstacles that appeared in my work and allowed me to flourish in my own work. I would highly recommend this program for anyone who is searching for a summer internship.

Interning in Galway may have been the best decision I have made! The global experiences program made it very easy to set up interviews with host companies and land an internship that would most benefit my knowledge of my major and career outlooks. The program team was always ahead of the game, making sure travel paperwork and coaching calls were maintained in the months leading up to departure. The program was very helpful and friendly in my needs and what I wanted to accomplish whilst on the trip. Thanks GE!

I studied abroad at Maynooth University during the spring semester of 2019. I chose Ireland because I wanted to explore the country my grandparents grew up in and to meet my relatives that still live there. I chose Maynooth because of it's proximity to Dublin and I am so glad I did! It was so easy to get into town and explore Dublin! There's buses and a train that leaves right from Maynooth and takes you right into town. There's also a shuttle that leaves from Maynooth that takes you directly to the airport. As part of the AIFS program, I got a LeapCard, which was essentially a public transportation pass. It came preloaded with 100 euros and was super easy to refill as necessary. The initial amount lasted until about halfway through the semester, but I also went into town a lot!
For the campus itself, Maynooth is STUNNING. There are two halves to the campus, North and South. The North Campus was made up of the majority of the class buildings, the gym, the dining hall, and the dorms. It was constructed fairly recently and the campus had a very modern feel. The South Campus is much older, but not like an American old. The South Campus has that authentic Irish feel. The buildings are beautiful and are updated on the inside to keep up to 21st century standards. There is a massive old church that looks like it's right out of Harry Potter, a gorgeous backfield area that has walking paths, a cemetery on campus (so fun to explore!), and an old castle just off of the campus grounds that students can go in and visit. Both halves of campus connect to the town of Maynooth, which was so homey and welcoming. There are two grocery stores within a five-minute walk of campus, multiple barbershops and food options, and the town has walking paths and trails all over it! One goes through the golf course, which many people utilize, and another follows the train, which is situated along a canal, and the trail leads almost all the way into Dublin.
While there are recommended courses on the AIFS website, I was able to take any course I wanted at Maynooth, with approval from the head of the department. Maynooth is a big international school, so there were lots of courses offered for just international students, which included students from all over Europe. Maynooth offers an Irish Cultural Heritage Certificate in which one takes four classes and revies this certificate. There is one required history course and the rest of the courses offered covered Irish history, Irish literature and folklore, and the Irish language. These classes all included field trips to Irish monuments that international students otherwise wouldn't see, such as Newgrange and Clonmacnoise. My favorite out of these courses was the Irish language course. I was able to have a (basic) conversation in Irish with my grandparents when I came home!
The AIFS program included trips to different locations in Ireland, such as Cork, Galway, Belfast, and a traditional Irish farm. A two night stay in Dublin is also included as your first two nights in Ireland and that experience is a great way to see Dublin for the first time. There's a guided tour of the city and the resident director, Cliodhna, showed us the best time. She was absolutely incredible as an RD. She was always available on campus and went on all the AIFS trips with us. She truly went above and beyond in her position and the semester would not have been the same without her. The AIFS trips were an incredible way to see the country.
Overall, my semester in Ireland was incredible due to the location and provider I chose. I would not have learned as much as a did about Ireland or had seen as much of the country as I did if I had not chosen Maynooth University. I would not have had such an enjoyable and wholesome semester and experience if I had not chosen AIFS as my provider. I made lasting memories and friendships due to both of my choices and I would highly recommend that anyone interested in studying abroad in Ireland do the same!

My semester in Limerick, Ireland was better than I could have ever imagined. I felt comfortable with no language barrier, but also was able to experience a culture completely different from my own. Throughout the semester, I learned so much about myself and how I handle situations different than ones that I have been in before. I learned a lot about my awareness (of my surroundings, culture, and myself) that I hope will make me a more valuable employee after my approaching graduation. Being a business major, I am setting myself apart when I say that I took economics and IT classes in Ireland. I wouldn't change my experience for anything and I wouldn't want to go through any other provider either. AIFS really seemed to value the idea of support when abroad. Whether that support be for me as a student, or for my family at home, who were so far away from me for the entire semester. I never felt alone and everyone question I had was answered with the help of the on-site director who was like our mom away from home. They also planned amazing excursions that helped us see more of the culture and helped us bond as a group. Living on campus with students was another huge plus for me on this program, since I do not know how comfortable I would be in a host family situation. I really did have an adventure of a lifetime!

My semester in Limerick, Ireland was better than I could have ever imagined. I felt comfortable with no language barrier, but also was able to experience a culture completely different from my own. Throughout the semester, I learned so much about myself and how I handle situations different than ones that I have been in before. I learned a lot about my awareness (of my surroundings, culture, and myself) that I hope will make me a more valuable employee after my approaching graduation. Being a business major, I am setting myself apart when I say that I took economics and IT classes in Ireland. I wouldn't change my experience for anything and I wouldn't want to go through any other provider either. AIFS really seemed to value the idea of support when abroad. Whether that support be for me as a student, or for my family at home, who were so far away from me for the entire semester. I never felt alone and everyone question I had was answered with the help of the on-site director who was like our mom away from home. They also planned amazing excursions that helped us see more of the culture and helped us bond as a group. Living on campus with students was another huge plus for me on this program, since I do not know how comfortable I would be in a host family situation. I really did have an adventure of a lifetime!

I interned at UCD as a research assistant intern over the summer in Dublin, Ireland. This was one of the best experiences that I have had in both my educational and professional careers thus far! My placement allowed me to network with other academics, work on several studies, and refine my skills working in academia. I can honestly say that this helped me decide my future, and it greatly assisted me in preparing me for my PhD.