National University of Ireland, Galway

It was fine, I got used to the Irish accent pretty quickly. Everyone is extremely nice and helpful.

Try to go through a university instead of going independently. I met all of my friends through the program I went through. The weather is not as bad as most people think it is! If you are looking for a completely relaxing, fun, and memorable semester, come to Galway. It is the best decision I ever made!

I didn't realize I would be grocery shopping once a week, usually costing me about 30 euro per week. The refrigerators are very small (like dorm fridges) so I couldn't buy a lot at once. Using the computers on campus are free, but I had to pay 10 cents to print each page. You have to pay for everything on campus with cash, whereas at my home university, I use a swipe card and pay at the end of each month. I couldn't find any secondhand books. There are a decent amount of ATMs, I didn't find it necessary to open an account in Ireland. Be prepared to spend a lot of money on nightlife!

Our room was an en-suite apartment with 4 single rooms and 4 bathrooms. I had a private room with bathroom and it was great! We had a kitchen and common room with TV, which was a definite plus. It is close to campus but far from town (about a 15 to 20 minute walk.) However it was worth it because I never thought I would have a single. And it was easy to cook in the rooms, which saved money.

Most of the pubs are great and have a good crowd every night! Kings Head, Bazaar, The Quays, Front Door, and Monroes are all great spots. You can have an excellent night out any night of the week. Try the sandwich shop Delight for lunch, its the best in town.