My Exchange at University College Dublin
Like many students at the University of Auckland I received many emails from 360 over the course of my degree, which began in 2018. During the pandemic years the dream of studying abroad threatened to be unfulfilled, but one January morning in 2023 I stepped out of Dublin airport into icy drizzle and a biting wind. My first impressions of Dublin were not very flattering, my cab took me along the coast, past the port and swampy mud-flats, instead of through the city. I felt a long way from the sparkling blue waters of the Waitematā.
When I arrived at University College Dublin (UCD) there were few people braving the wet weather, but fortunately I almost literally ran into my next-door neighbour. She was an Australian girl from the University of Melbourne who took one look at my terrified face and correctly identified that I too was wondering why I had left a Southern hemisphere summer for Irish winter. She kindly showed me to my room, how to request hot water for a shower, and how to turn the heater on. The best thing about my accommodation was that the heating was included in costs and very effective at quickly warming the apartment. UCD has a number of different options for undergraduate students to stay, but in the middle of a terrible housing crisis (worse than Auckland’s) the going rate for the cheapest accommodation was almost $500 a week. I managed to secure a sunny room in a 4-bedroom apartment in the Merville accommodation. In contrast to my fears on the day of my arrival: the sun came out plenty. Most days were cold and windy, but with beautifully clear blue skies.
UCD gave us ‘One Hundred Thousand Welcomes’ and held a ‘scarving ceremony’ (which reminded me of Hogwarts) where we all acquired matching striped blue and yellow scarves. Very different from a welcome in Aotearoa, but a cool experience.
Dublin is a small city by European standards. It is situated on the River Liffey, so it’s very pretty with the bridges criss-crossing it. UCD campus is about 5km outside the central city but buses frequently make the trip. I really enjoyed the vibe of the city and felt safe walking alone. They have great markets and op-shops, lots of gorgeous gardens and parks, plenty of fairy lights and flags decorating the streets, and of course a pub every hundred metres! The history of the city is very evident in the names of the streets and buildings, which almost always are named after Irish revolutionaries who orchestrated the 1916 uprising against British rule. It is well worth reading up on Irish/British relations before arriving in Ireland (binge-watching Derry Girls absolutely counts) because ‘the Troubles’ are living history for most Irish people and they are understandably sensitive to foreigners’ insensitivity. Generally, Irish people are friendly and easy-going, with a wicked sense of humour. Like Kiwis they also have particular slang and Irish words they throw into conversation. They love a ‘craíc with your man’, but then they did not understand having a ‘yarn with old mate’. I got used to this far quicker than I got used to the taste of Guinness.
A highlight of my trip were two weekends I crossed the country to Galway (a mere two hour bus ride from Dublin). The first trip was to see the Cliffs of Moher, but the charm of Galway drew me back again. Over mid-semester break I also ventured down to Cork and kissed the Blarney Stone, and at Easter I visited Belfast and Giant’s Causeway in the North of Ireland (this is what Irish people call Northern Ireland). The entire country is beautiful and I loved my time living in it. I would absolutely return to see more of it.
One of the reasons I chose to visit Dublin was because I am lucky enough to be born on St Patrick’s Day. Expectations were high, but if you’re going to have a birthday while away from loved ones, having it fall on a day the entire country is out drinking and celebrating is pretty grand. It was probably the best day of my exchange and I would encourage everyone who likes good craíc and a few cheeky bevvies to add a proper St Paddy’s Day celebration to their bucket lists.
I enjoyed my classes at UCD, which were taught very differently from my Auckland experience. The lectures were not recorded, yet few people attended making it a much smaller lecture group and therefore a more personal experience. As a Law student I was used to the piles of assigned reading, what I was not used to was the Socratic method being used to check the reading had actually been completed. The small (attending) class size meant that my Professors all knew my name by the end of the first few weeks. While this was initially intimidating it also meant that I not only heard an Irish opinion on cases and theories, I also heard European, Ukrainian, Kenyan, South African and American perspectives. For my degree at least, getting these different perspectives felt even more valuable than the content on the lecture slides.
The biggest challenge I experienced over my exchange was the expense. Dublin is an incredibly expensive city. Importantly, you cannot get working rights in Ireland unless you are doing a full-year exchange so I was living entirely off my savings. There was a reason I had time to get to like Guinness! It was by far the cheapest drink and kept me within budget.
Overall, I would suggest being an organised and responsible traveller. Over-budget, because it’s better to have too much than not enough, do some Tik Tok research on the quickest way to piss off an Irishman (and don’t test them out) and make sure you bring some paracetamol with you because pharmaceuticals are generally far more expensive in Europe! Exchange was still one of the best things I’ve ever done, and if it’s financially viable then it is definitely something you should consider doing!
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
My classes at UCD were different from my Auckland experiences. As a Law student I was used to the piles of assigned reading, what I was not used to was the Socratic method being used to check the reading had actually been completed. It quickly made sense to me why only about 25–30 people showed up to class (even though they were not recorded).
I took three third level Law papers, and one ‘masters’ level module (which felt the same level as an honours seminar at UoA). The classes I chose were all focused on International law, so I avoided having to have a complex understanding of Irish government or law – only minimal work was required to make sure my ‘general background knowledge’ was on par with other students. I enjoyed my courses and the small (attending) class size meant that my Professors all knew my name by the end of the first few weeks. While this was initially intimidating it also meant that I not only heard an Irish opinion on cases and theories, I also heard French, Italian, Ukrainian, Spanish, Kenyan, South African and American perspectives. This was especially interesting in my class on Migration and Refugee Law, and the Law of Armed Conflict.
The huge international student programme at UCD might have meant I slipped through an email list crack regarding Orientation events, but it was also one of the best parts about UCD. For my degree at least, getting these different national perspectives felt even more valuable than the content on the lecture slides.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
I attended the International Student Ball which was held at a beautiful venue in the next county over from Dublin, which was an incredible experience. The most unique experience I had was getting to watch and try the Irish sport of hurling however. A terrifying mix of lacrosse and hockey, I wouldn’t play competitively unless I had NFL level of protective gear!
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
1. Do your research before you go! For example, Ireland may seem like a country very similar to NZ but they have very distinct politics and sensitivities that are important to understand. I got a shock the first time I referred to ‘Northern Ireland’ and was angrily told that I’d best learn to call it ‘the North of Ireland’ if I wanted to avoid trouble.
2. Over-budget. Firstly, you don’t want to miss out on something you really want to do because it’s not financially viable — when are you next going to be in this country? It’s not really so easy to just come another day! Secondly, there is likely to be an extra expense you didn’t budget for — mine was the decision to send a 10kg bag home to NZ so I didn’t have to try manage a 40kg suitcase on and off the London tube.
3. Plan for the worst — not to be a pessimist but there is likely going to be complications somewhere along your trip. Book a flexible flight. Get comprehensive insurance. The extra $ will pay for themselves if something does go wrong. My Irish specific health insurance definitely paid for itself and I almost risked not getting any.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
My budget was not only for exchange but for three months of travelling too. It is therefore hard to say how much I would recommend budgeting for the exchange experience alone. Considering my flights cost almost $4k and that Dublin is an incredibly expensive city, my soft goal would be at least $20k. My semester accommodation alone cost $9000, and getting my Irish residency another $800.
The NZD does not compare favourably to the Euro which is also important to take into account. Importantly, you cannot get working rights in Ireland unless you are doing a full-year exchange. Food prices in January 2023 are on par with Auckland now in August 2023, but the rent is what was truly extortionate.
Additional weekly expenses like paying for laundry, phone plans and transport costs also add up. I also had the misfortune of getting incredibly sick right at the end of my exchange and it was a huge relief to have availed myself of Irish health insurance on top of the 360 recommended student travel insurance package. There was a reason I had time to get to like Guinness! It was by far the cheapest drink and kept me within budget.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
The most shocking part of my exchange was how many people determinedly believed I was Australian. It didn’t matter how often I corrected people, they consistently referred to me as Australian. My Australian roommate made me a T-shirt that said ‘I’m not Australian’ it got so bad. NZ is left off maps all over Europe, and Americans believe Australia is the name of the entire Pacific region continent. Having never been particularly patriotic, I was surprised by how upset this made me. Maybe being away from NZ and being the only Kiwi most of these people had met, I felt like I was failing my country by not convincing them they were wrong. It has made me very sensitive to the fact we are a country that punches above our weight, and even though we know that, the rest of the world certainly forgets it. I certainly found myself advocating for and defending Aotearoa more than I ever expected to have to and I think that experience has really changed the way I view being a Kiwi.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I almost spent as much time travelling as I did time on exchange so a comprehensive answer is not really possible.
Best advice is to research the best time of year to visit certain destinations. I saw Christmas lights in Amsterdam, New Year’s fireworks in London, the Canary Islands for Carnival in February and did Greece in May before most of the tourists arrived. Unavoidably most people visit Europe in Summer, but I avoided 40 degree Spain and stayed along the coast of Italy and Croatia through the hottest months.
The country that surprised me the most was Slovenia. I adored it and wish I could have spent longer there.
Is there anything else you’d like to highlight?
There is far more admin work to going on exchange than I ever thought possible, so it is important to make sure students realise how much time and effort goes into this process from application to return.