Erasmus Experience in Dublin, Ireland by Analia

Why did you choose to go to Dublin, Ireland?

Because my mother is galician and celtiberian (the Irish are Celts too) , my brother lives there and I wanted to test my level of English because I´m a teacher of English.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

I never received a scholarship. I paid everything myself.

What is the student lifestyle like in Dublin?

I lived in Dublin as a teacher and employee not as a college student. The weather and the food were tough to take because I´m used to Spanish food and weather. That is why, I gained 15 kilos, I got tinnitus, I got sick with an allergic sinus so I had to go to Spain and after three years in Spain I´m still recovering.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Dublin to other students?

I´d recommend the city but I cannot speak much about the University of Dublin because I was a teacher not a student.

What is the food like?

The coffee is really bad compared to Italian coffee. The fruits and veggies are not fresh and the red meat does not look good.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Dublin?

It was very difficult to find accommodation in Dublin , very expensive and bad ,extremely damp everywhere, noisy neighbours, drunkards etc.

How much does it cost to live in Dublin?

A room can cost 600 euros. Nothing included in that. Probably now even more expensive.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

The language was easy for me. The problem is that sometimes locals murmur insults or bad comments to you to see if you understand which is very annoying because you cannot be rude and answer back and if you
don´t answer back they assume you don´t know English.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Dublin from your city?

I don´t live in Ireland so I have no other choice but to take a flight.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Dublin?

Grafton street for some window shopping or shopping.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Dublin?

Carluccio´s

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Kilmainham, the museums, the national library of Ireland which has an exhibition on Seamus Heaney. There was an exhibition on WWII near the alliance francaise but I don´t know if it´s still on.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Dublin in the future?

Take care of your health ,be careful with landlords and flatmates and save money for a rainy day. Dublin is quite rainy lol.