My big dream: study abroad for a semester. Thanks to MicroEDU, I was able to complete a semester in Ireland at the Dublin Business School (DBS) and had an incredibly exciting time. It was an experience I will not forget.
I was well supported through the application process by the MicroEDU staff. I was able to write an email for every question and it was answered quickly. And when I got the approval from DBS, I was really happy.
Finding accommodation in Dublin, however, was not that easy. After all, I stayed in a house with many students and young people from all over the world in a shared room. I might not repeat that, but it was an exciting challenge. Other exchange students also had difficulties finding a place to stay. Some have moved several times. It’s very expensive in the city center, but it’s close to the school. I lived outside and, depending on the weather, rode the bus or my second-hand bike.
The Dublin Business School offers a wide range of courses to choose from. Although it was difficult to organize at the beginning because many of my desired subjects overlapped, in the end I was enthusiastic about my courses. That was mainly because I was able to attend subjects that I couldn’t take at my home university: for example digital filmmaking or magazine production. Visit educationvv.com to get information about Thompson Rivers University student exchange program.
In addition to the courses, the DBS also offered a lot. In the early days there was an excursion every week in the Dublin area to a waterfall or a mountain. This was a great chance to get to know people and the surrounding area. I can only recommend taking part. But even without these tours, I have explored the area around Dublin. There is a rail link along the coast. I drove to the beach, to a castle or went hiking on a peninsula in the north of the city. Many tourist bus tours also start in the city center. It was convenient for me because I couldn’t rent a car yet. I used one of these buses to visit Northern Ireland, for example. If you are old enough and dare to drive on the other side of the road (pay attention to left-hand traffic!), You should definitely rent a car, as you can then stop even better,The nature on the island is a must. Even in autumn and winter it was still beautiful and so green. You always have to expect wind, fog and rain, especially on the west coast. The bus network is well developed in Ireland, so if you want to spend a weekend in Cork or Galway, you can get anywhere from Dublin. And that very quickly! Depending on the traffic, it is 2.5 hours to the west of the island and 3.5 hours to the south. There are also hostels in these two cities, for example.
Those who do not like bus travel can also discover a lot in Dublin. There are for example free city tours, Dublin Castle, art museums and parks. There is sure to be something for everyone. Otherwise, of course, the countless pubs. It is important to be aware in advance that the beer is not cheap, especially not in the city center. A pint costs at least six euros. But it will be a fun evening and mostly there will be live music. The Irish like to sing and sing well. I have never seen so many good musicians in pubs and on the street as in Dublin. I have always experienced the mood exuberant and happy.Perhaps that is also because the Irish are very communicative. I found out about that on my first day. I’m standing at the bus stop with my suitcase and can’t find out if that’s my stop. Not a minute goes by and I am asked if I need help. That was a good first impression. In the pub, too, I sometimes share a table with others and immediately got into conversation. At the beginning of my stay, however, I first had to get used to the Irish dialect and the fact that many things, such as street signs, were also written in Gaelic.
In my free time I not only enjoyed traveling in Ireland, but also stayed in the common room of the Dublin Business School, because there was always something going on there: playing table tennis, listening to music, dancing, movie nights, or simply relaxing on the beanbags and the sofas. The students were committed. There were some clubs and associations around sports groups.
Dublin is a great city for students. I find it difficult to describe the city. It’s a mix of old houses and young people. I would go on vacation there again anytime and I don’t want to miss the experience of having studied there.
