Jenna Ray Doherty , USA

Institution Attended: NUI Galway 

"I feel that the university staff put a lot of effort into making the International students feel welcome. The initial orientation session was long, but comprehensive. It really helped me in getting settled into the university.

The grading and credit systems are different here, but that does not seem to pose much of a problem. There is a greater need for independent work, however. One aspect that I am not accustomed to, is not having a definite reading list. Lecturers provide a long list of books and suggest that students choose a few of them to read. I am used to professors supplying a list of required reading, where everyone reads the same books and articles. At first, I found this to be quite daunting, but the open reading list allows students to concentrate further on areas that interest them during lectures. Also, I love to read, and having a long reading list for later use is something I appreciate. 

I believe there is a great cultural mix of students. I often find myself watching people walk by as I wait for class, and I am amazed by all of the different languages that I hear -Spanish, French, German, etc. I am an International Studies major at home, and the diversity of the campus provides for a great learning experience about different cultures and ideas. It is like I am not only studying in Ireland, but studying in Europe as a whole. 

Galway is a great place to attend school. There is plenty to do within walking distance, and many places to go by bus. I have been on a few day trips over the past few weeks and plan on traveling outside of the country. Shannon Airport is a short bus ride away from Galway, and buses to Dublin are easily accessible. Overall, I am very happy with living in Galway and with the University’s effort to make Internationals feel more at home. Studying abroad is a great experience in itself, but I am glad the I choose to study at NUIG. "