Preparation and general information
Right from the start of my studies, I was sure that I definitely wanted to do a semester abroad. When I decided to attend the International Day at my university, I immediately enjoyed the presentation by MicroEDU. Therefore, in the days after that, I inquired about their partner universities and since I am studying business administration, a lot of universities came into question for me. Since I definitely wanted to spend my semester abroad in a city and country that was still completely new to me, I chose Ireland and the Dublin Business Schooldecided, also because the subjects offered there had appealed to me from the start. In any case, I would like to emphasize that I had no problems with the application process, as MicroEDU provided me with excellent support and was always available to provide advice and assistance (special thanks to Ms. Bastian). After I had sent my application documents, I soon received the acceptance from DBS and was able to start preparing for my semester abroad. Visit educationvv.com to get information about California State University Northridge student exchange program.
Accommodation and the first few days
When I was looking for suitable accommodation, I primarily looked for rooms in shared apartments in the city center on Daft.ie and Rent.ie, and 2 months before the actual start of the semester I am on my own with 3 apartment viewing confirmations in my luggage Flown to Dublin to see the apartments personally, as in previous experience reportsrecommended. I was immediately lucky with the first flat share and got a room with my own desk, wardrobe and bed. In general, however, the price / performance level cannot be compared with that of Germany, as my room was a bit small and I paid 600 € a month. However, I had the advantage of being able to walk to the city center (St. Stephen’s Green Park) in 20 minutes, which was almost a luxury for this price in Dublin, as some of my fellow students had to take the bus to get to the city for 30 minutes and also paid 100-200 € more for their accommodations. So my tip: Make the effort 2-3 months in advance and search through FB groups for Dublin Apartments, Daft.ie and Rent.ie for room advertisements and visit the rooms personally, Which was definitely the criterion for me, which my landlady really appreciated and therefore gave me the contract for the room. Besides, you can’t be cheated like this!
In the first few days I tried to find my way around, visited the hotspots and the various buildings of the DBS (the DBS is spread over several buildings in the city center) and also drove a lot of buses to get to know the city. I also signed up for the FlyeFit gym (€ 26 / month) to find some sporty balance and to get in touch with the Irish, which worked wonderfully, because the Irish are really hospitable and so am I was able to make first friends right away. In addition, I have always tried to get in touch with new people through various Facebook groups from DBS and Dublin, which then worked surprisingly quickly and you met other students in one or the other pub for various Guinness events relatively quickly.
Studies at the DBS
The study system at the DBS is difficult to compare with that of German universities, as the courses are generally smaller and attendance was compulsory, which I found to be partly unnecessary towards the end of the semester, as the time could have been better used to be around For example, to prepare for the exams. In terms of workload, I had chosen 5 courses for the semester, each with 5 ECTS, with whose workload I was well occupied throughout the semester, but still had enough time for free time and exploring the island. The on-site support and the lecturers at DBS were always friendly and always took their timeto clarify questions about courses or if you had problems with something, for example questions about homework or general questions about the DBS, which I found to be a big plus. Furthermore, as a contact person for the students, there was always the opportunity to go to the Student Union, which also offered a great leisure program for us students during the semester, with many interesting excursions and events.
Dublin and free time
During my time in Dublin I tried hard to get as much as possible from the city and the country. As a city, Dublin is really very different from what I imagined. Sometimes you can still feel the typical Irish flair in some parts of the city, but apart from that the city is very modern. Of course, the highlight is the Temple Bar district, which is teeming with pubs and tourists and which you should definitely visit several times. However, there are many other hotspots for culture, history or where you can just meet up with friends to relax. These include above all:
- St. Stephen’s Green Park
- Phoenix Park
- Dicey’s Garden
- Opium Rooms
- O’Connel Street
- Kilmainham Gaol
- Trinity College
- Irish Whiskey Museum
- Guinness Brewery
However, Ireland of course has much more to offer than the city of Dublin. In the city’s numerous tourist offices you can book a day trip to Ireland’s most popular hotspots relatively cheaply (€ 35-50). In addition, as mentioned earlier, the Student Union of the DBS offers many trips and activities. For me the highlights were above all:
- Belfast Titanic Museum
- A hiking trip in Glendalough
- A weekend surfing in Bundoran
- The coastal towns of Bray and Howth (easily accessible by dart)
- The city of Galway
- Connemara National Park
- The Cliffs of Moher
I can really only recommend everyone to take as much of Ireland with you if you have the opportunity, personally I haven’t regretted a second of trips (even if the weather sometimes doesn’t play along).
Conclusion
I have never regretted the decision to embark on the adventure of a semester abroad! Ireland is a fantastic country, the people are really nice and I made a lot of new friends so quickly that I could hardly believe it myself. During all this time I really felt very comfortable and well looked after at DBS and even if there were problems, MicroEDU was at my side with advice and action from start to finish, which is why I am going back to Ireland at any time would do.
