My study abroad in Limerick, Ireland, spring semester 2014
A little cliché but it symbolizes Ireland so well (no need to say,
but this is at St. Patrick’s Day of course)
E-mail: k.a.m.ballemans@tilburguniversity.edu.nl
Study program: psychology
Exchange semester: spring semester
Academic year: 2013-2014
Host university: University of Limerick
Country: Ireland
General information
The university and its surroundings
One year and a half ago I decided to go on exchange. For me, the choice of destination was
quite simple. I had a good affiliation with Ireland and therefore applied immediately. Not a
minute have I regret my choice. The university I went to was in Limerick, in the south-west of
Ireland, where the Shannon river crosses. The city knows a lively shopping centre. Things
noteworthy to see are King John’s castle, and the Milkmarket which takes place every
Saturday morning. It is fun walking through the city centre. It is not very big and has lovely
streets. The university however is a ten/fifteen minutes bus drive away from the city centre. A
one-way bus ticket varies from €1,60 to €1,90 which takes you immediately to the city. But
one can also hire a cab, which costs you if you’re travelling with friends approximately €3
each. That is what we most often did when going for a night out in the city centre. When we
wanted to go out and dance, we most likely ended up in club Icon, the Library club, Molly’s,
Angel Lane or Nancy’s. But for a more relaxing, chatty night in a real pub including some
beer pong, Costello’s is the one to go to. Dolans has both: it is a place to drink a pint at a table
or the bar, but is also a place to dance where once every two months a D.I.E. (dance, Indi
rock, electro) party is organised. Besides shopping, partying and drinking, the city centre also
provides nice bistro’s and restaurants to have lunch or dinner. All being mentioned is worth a
visit.
The University of Limerick is a lovely
place to be at (as can be seen in the picture).
The university is green, like any other part
of Ireland, surrounded by trees and grass.
Tilburg University has a nice campus but
compared to UL, that is nothing. There are
many buildings where you can study
everything from chemistry to psychology,
from veterinarian to elementary school
teacher. It takes a while to remember where
all the buildings are positioned, but then
follows the next task: getting to know your
way within those buildings. In the first
week of college, there were information points to guide the students, which was quite helpful.
The university is known for the Brown Thomas statue, a bronze faceless statue which stands
symbol for the university. It was also a meeting point for me and my friends when we were
having lunch on campus. But besides that, there is also a big bridge, because of the Shannon
river passing the university. It is called the ‘Living bridge’ (picture below) since it moves a
little. You don’t really see it but will feel it when walking over it. And finally, one building
that spots out, is ‘Plassey house’. This is a big white building where the president of the
university has his office and his appointments. But it is free for students to enter (or at least,
that is what we did). Under the living bridge, there is a nice path, in the middle of the woods,
where the river passes. After a twenty minute walk, there is an old ruin where you can climb
on which permits you with a beautiful view. Half way, there is a open spot, a sort of beach,
where you can relax or pick nick, which is also worth a visit at night...
The university is like a small village,
including a supermarket, ATM, chaplaincy,
laundry facility, print shop, book shop, bus
stop, pubs and restaurants, including
Subway and Starbucks. Every Tuesday there
is a farmers market in the courtyard where
you can buy delicious homemade quiches,
chocolate, fish, bread and rice with curry.
There also is a bike-repair guy who fixes up
the students’ bikes for a reasonable price.
The library is impressive and daily opened.
All facilities are present, like computers,
workspaces, books, scanning and printing devices and staff for any question you might have.
Despite the size of the campus, the buildings are within walking distance from each other, but
you must take at least a fifteen minute walk into account.
The difference between UL and Tilburg is mainly the size in campus. But also the studies
being offered: there is more choice at UL than in Tilburg. UL also has many sports facilities,
like a swimming pool and running track. The university itself is relatively young, being
established in 1989. It has about 11.500 students studying there. UL offers 72 undergraduate
and 103 postgraduate programmes across the four faculties: arts, humanities and social
sciences; education and health sciences; Kemmy business school; and science and
engineering. Over 300 UL students participate in Erasmus exchanges each year, which is over
1.5 million students since the programme began in 1987. All undergraduate degree
programmes are four-year honours programmes, including a six-to-eight month internship. A
postgraduate programme includes a graduate diploma (9 months) and a master’s (12 months).
Practical information
Before I left
Before I got to Limerick, the host university sent me some pre-arrival information. This was
more than a month before I departed. This information included a campus map, an overview
of all the courses I could choose, information about Limerick self and a booklet about student
life in Limerick. It was very helpful. I didn’t find any difficulties but if I had any questions, I
was free to email the exchange coordinator of UL and she responded either the same day or
the day after. A visa for Dutch Erasmus students is not necessary.
Orientation/introduction activities
I arrived three days before the two organized information days, so I could explore the
neighbourhood and the university beforehand at my own pace. Even in those three days,
several activities were planned, like a traditional Irish music session (every Tuesday at the
Scholar’s bar on campus), coffee mornings and I experienced my first Erasmus party. Before
my arrival I signed up for the provided ‘buddy programme’, which means that I got matched
with an Irish student who would help me out the first few weeks in Limerick, like books and
the first personal contacts. If necessary, your buddy can pick you up from the university (since
there is a bus stop) and take you to your residence. By email we got information how to create
a university account and how to sign in. Sent home I received a confirmation letter that I
officially was a student at UL. During the enrolment process I didn’t find any difficulties at
all, and if there were, once again, questions were answered within a short timeframe.
Like I said, there were two introduction days organized. The first day we were being provided
information about the university’s facilities and had a tour around campus. The second day
mainly was about how to use blackboard and how to sign up for several clubs and socs. That
also is a good thing of UL: they provide many clubs and societies you can join. This is a nice
way to getting to know people; Irish and international. For instance, I joined the OPC
(outdoor pursuits club), which includes wand climbing, hiking, mountaineering, orienteering
and caving, where you each time discover a different part of Ireland. My nicest memory is the
Glendalough hiking weekend trip. Thereby, I was also part of the windsurfing and archery
club and the International Society, which has the international student in mind where you go
on several city trips with like Galway, Belfast, and Cork. My buddy was around that time, but
fortunately I didn’t really need him. Still, it gives you a secure feeling before leaving that you
have someone to look after and help you.
Housing
Back home, I sorted out my housing. The choice, information provided by the host university,
was to live either on or off campus. I was too late to sign up for an on campus
accommodation, so I opt one of the off campus possibilities, which was Courtyard Student
Village. Before my arrival I had to pay the rent for the entire semester (approx €1300, for a
single en-suite [meaning that you have your own bathroom, in your room] bedroom, plus a
€400 deposit). I lived together with a French guy, a German and Czech girl. Our neighbours
were four Irish guys who taught us a lot about hurling (traditional Irish sport) and Ireland
itself. Other off campus residences are Troy, Groody, Brookfield and Park view Hall. The
advantages of living off campus is that it is way much cheaper (approx €1000), most
bedrooms are bigger and there is a washing machine and microwave in every house. The
downside is those villages are further away from campus. I had to walk 20 minutes to get to
the university. The first few times it looks far but you will get used to it. And if you don’t feel
like walking, Courtyard, Troy and Brookfield provide a (free) shuttle bus between the
residences and the university. The on campus accommodations are Plassey, Kilmurry,
Dromroe and Thomond student village. These are more expensive than the off campus houses
but shortens your walk to the university with ten to fifteen minutes. The houses are well
maintained in contrast to some off campus houses, which can be old. When making the choice
to live either on or off campus, you need to consider whether you want to live close to the
university or if you prefer to save some money when also living further away from campus. A
third option is also possible: private housing. A list of private houses is also being provided
by the host university. There are people who travel around first or spend the first few days in a
bed and breakfast or hotel and find a residence at the spot. Unfortunately, I don’t have any
experience with this.
Because the host university offered me these options, I treated the information as coming
from a credible source and trusted that everything is legal and fine. If I had to choose again
where I wanted to live, with the knowledge I have now, I don’t think I would have made the
same choice. The house was fine and I didn’t mind the walking, but there were some issues
with the landlord, especially concerning money.
Living costs
When you go on an exchange, you know it will cost money. I am glad I could do everything I
wanted to do. I had to pay the rent of the room before I left, so I didn’t have to think about
that during my stay. Besides the Erasmus grant I received, my parents gave me an amount of
money each month and I had some personal savings. Thereby, I received an ‘uitwonende
beurs’ and ‘ov-vergoeding’. With this money, I was able to finance my housing, travel
through and outside the country, go out and feed myself. Money was never a restraint for me,
and I am happy about that. Prices in Ireland are a little bit higher than in the Netherlands, but
not in an extreme way. They have shops like Spar (very expensive) and Lidl and Aldi, the
cheaper ones. That’s where I did most of my grocery shopping. Compared to Tilburg, I spent
more money mainly because I don’t travel that much in the Netherlands and my room is less
expensive. Those were my largest costs. To give an indication of how much I paid when
travelling, I joined clubs (like the OPC and International Society) that organized the trips
which are cheaper than travelling by yourself. Prices varied from €10 to €70, day hiking trips
and weekend trips respectively. If you prefer to travel by yourself, public transport is not that
expensive either. A one-way ticket from Limerick to Dublin for example, will cost you €15.
One piece of advice, the timetables aren’t always that accurate. When being in Ireland, try to
travel as much as you can. It has so many beautiful places to offer. Especially when you join
the clubs, it is fairly affordable. They also guide you and give you information. Besides that, it
is a nice way to getting to know people. If I think about how much I spent each month, I
would say that I spent approximately €300 for housing, €80 for food (even though those costs
were usually less since I shared the groceries with my housemates), €70 for transport,
travelling and trips, I didn’t purchase any books and miscellaneous consisted of parties and
other extras which were approx €50. This may seem like much, especially now I take a good
look at it, but those are just estimates and the costs weren’t that high every month. It depends
where you have your priorities at and to spend your money consciously.
Academic calendar
The academic calendar of the spring semester 2014 started January 23 (the first introduction
day) and ended May 19 (the last exam). I arrived a few days before the start of the semester
and also stayed a little longer to travel and to say goodbye to all the people I met. Before the
exam period starts, there is one week where there are no classes, the so-called reading week.
This way, you can prepare yourself for the exams. The semester consists of 12 teaching weeks
and we had one week off during Easter. Also, there were some bank holidays, like St.
Patrick’s Day. Some people had mid-terms halfway the semester but I got spared. In week 6,
there was RAG-week at UL. A very famous week where the students raise money for charity.
Here several activities are organised in order to do so. For example, a nearly naked mile race,
kissing competition, shave or dye, helium karaoke, paint glow party, blind dating and a lot
more. There were bands playing and music everywhere. It actually was an excuse of drinking
and partying with the charities in mind. But it did pay off well, with €14.500 raised in four
days.
The international office
There is an international office located in the main building of the university. My UL
exchange coordinator was Katherine Martin. She was very friendly and helpful. You can
always email her and you can walk right into their office without making an appointment. The
international office organised several trips as well. For instance, I have been to the Cliffs of
Moher together with 49 other international students.
Exchange promotion
During my exchange I met quite some Irish people who have been on an exchange to Tilburg
and they all were very enthusiastic. Moreover, I was almost the only person from the
Netherlands, or at least, one of the very few Dutch persons my fellow exchange students
knew. That made me special and they all were very interested in the country and where I
come from. I talked a lot about Tilburg and they all wanted to visit the city soon. I
participated in many school activities and trips and one way of introducing yourself is talking
about where you come from, what you study, etcetera.
Social activities
There is a big student organisation called
the Student Union. It is located at the
Courtyard of the university. The Student
Union is a place where you can buy
second hand books, tickets for several
parties and they also publish a school
news paper, called An Focal. Part of the
SU is another organisation called UL
wolves. This consists of the clubs and
societies one can be part of. There are 35
clubs and 36 societies, so there is
something for everyone. Clubs are sport
clubs you can join, like in my case
archery, outdoor pursuits and windsurfing. Societies focus more on study related issues.
Examples of these socs are debating union, history, music, comedy and even a coming out
club for homosexuals. That is also what I think is a good thing about UL. They really have the
physical and mental well-being of the individual student in mind. There is counselling
available when one has any kind of problems and the doctor has his own office there where
you can make an appointment and get treated for approx €10. They can even take a blood
sample if necessary. Another important society of the UL wolves organisation, is one
specially for international students, namely the International Society. With this society you go
on several trips in Ireland (see picture of a Belfast trip) and they organise TGIF (thank god it’s
Friday) which takes place every Friday in the Stables, the pub on campus. Through these
clubs and societies I got into contact with many international students but Irish students as
well.
In my house I lived together with other international students but our neighbours were four
Irish guys where we had good connections with. Besides that, during the courses I got in to
contact with other Irish students as well. Every course, except one, had a tutorial (in Dutch,
this would be a ‘werkcollege’) so the group got smaller and more intimate. I also delivered
group projects and group presentations, whilst working together with international, but mainly
Irish students. They were not only my group members, but they also helped me with the
language and taught me stuff about Ireland. But I had most contact with other exchange
students. From day two onward I was already part of what became a close group of approx 14
friends. Most of them were French. That was very striking; the French, American and German
as well dominated this semester’s exchange period. But outside that group of people, you
slowly get to know more and more other people and at the end of the semester everyone
knows each other. However, it was nice to have a solid base of friends from where I could
extend relations with other people. Besides the Stables every Friday, we didn’t go out that
much. This is because if you want to go to the city centre, you have to pay money for the cab
and mostly, if you want to end up in a good club, you have to pay an entrance fee as well.
This will be something around €7, but they make an exception for girls often. Instead of going
to the city centre, we had house parties. This means that someone offers his or her place and
provides music. All the guests bring in their own drinks (0.5l cans of beer) and we’ll talk,
laugh and play innocent drinking games like Kings, flip cup or beer pong. Before going to
town, we always did pre-drink parties and because the pubs and bars close relatively early (1
am), an after-party logically followed. I had the most fun at those pre-parties because then you
actually have the chance to really talk to people. That is also a point I have to mention: Ireland
is infamous for its big alcohol consumption and I have seen it with my own eyes. That is why
pubs and bars close early, to prevent the Irish from drinking more and more, and it is not
possible to buy alcohol in a supermarket before 11 in the morning and the off licence opens
only in the afternoon.
I have seen many places in Ireland but also
across the border. This was because of the
OPC and international society I joined but
also through travelling by myself (and
friends). To sum up, I have been to Cork,
Blarney Castle, Glendalough (see picture),
Castlegregory, Galway, the Burren, the
Cliffs of Moher, Belfast (North-Ireland), the
Ring of Kerry, Waterford, Edinburgh
(Scotland), and I am sure I forgot to
mention some more.
Culture and language
Fortunately I did not experience a culture shock, though there were some difference between
Dutch and Irish culture. The Irish are more relaxed. I experienced this because they are rarely
on time and so is there public transport. Where Dutch people complain when a train is 3
minutes late, the Irish keep it cool and just wait. Furthermore, Irish are very warm, open and
talkative. When you want to order something in a bakery for example, they greet you with:
‘How are you? How can I help you, my love?’ This was something I was not used to. They
also love to make jokes, about others but about themselves as well. But, on the other hand,
they don’t really take care of themselves: they drink a lot, there houses are a little mess and
they don’t really like cleaning. When looking around campus, almost all of the guys walk
around in track suits and sneakers. I have had several discussions about this with my Irish
neighbours, who did the same, but the conflict remained unresolved. On a night out in town, I
was surprised of what I saw. The Irish girls wear high heels, short tight skirts, and have a big
layer of make-up. Quite a contrast with me, standing in a jeans and my All Stars. Before I
arrived in Ireland, I was a little worried about the accent. But, I have to say, it wasn’t that hard
to understand. No one really speaks Irish anymore, which is a complete different language.
However, they are being taught Irish during kindergarten and the signs on the road are written
in English as well as in Irish. They are still proud of their own language.
During my exchange I have been in Belfast for three days. Belfast is in North-Ireland and they
use pounds there. There still is an ongoing conflict between the Catholics and Protestants. We
visited the peace wall that divides those two groups from each other. That was really
impressive. Furthermore, I also visited the capital city of Scotland and that was beautiful. The
weather was even worse than in Ireland, a lot of rain, wind and cold, but totally worth it.
Scottish are very kind and welcoming and the accent is appealing. The houses and buildings
are very pretty and it is a good place for a night out.
It was possible to follow the Erasmus Intensive Language Course but I didn’t take that course
since I was confident enough with my English skills.
Personal development
Before I got to Ireland, I didn’t expect that I would enjoy contact with people from different
cultural backgrounds as much as I did during my exchange. It was very interesting to
interchange different point of views and learn about their culture. I met people from Ireland,
France, Spain, Germany, Iceland, USA, South-Africa, Poland, Portugal, Czech-Republic,
Greece, Malta, Croatia, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil,
and I am sure many other countries. It has also improved my English. In the beginning, I was
not that confident with speaking in English and I was looking for words. But as the semester
continued I got better and better.
It was the first time I was all by myself, far away from my safe environment. I had to build up
an entire new life from the ground: new friends, school, activities, sports, housing. My
exchange has learned me not to judge people from the first impression without even knowing
the person. This was the most important lesson I learned. I can be a very direct person, also a
typical Dutch trait, which is not always desired by everybody. I learned to also deal with this.
Now, I am more open to other people and people from different backgrounds. It has changed
me in a social point of view in that way that it is easier for me now to talk to other people.
I think my exchange experience has a positive influence on my future career possibilities; it
never can have a negative influence. This certainly will enlarges the chance for me to work
across the border if I like. I study psychology so it is not a must to have foreign experience,
but it makes you grow as a person. So indirectly, it is beneficial as well.
Besides to have an open mind towards new people/strangers, I learnt to say ‘cheers’ in many
different languages, learnt new kinds of foods, habits and rituals. There are no things I want to
do differently if I had the chance. Not a moment was I homesick. I interpret it as a good thing,
meaning that I had a lot of fun abroad. My best experience during my exchange is hard to tell.
I enjoyed the hikes and trips through different parts of Ireland the most and the parties where I
met all those people. My worst experience would be the difficulties we had with our landlord.
This may sounds very severe now, but it was not as bad as it looks like. I really have to say
that I have had so much fun. Writing this report brings me back to my study abroad period
and all the fun stuff I experienced. The people I have met over there contributed a huge part to
the incredible experience. I will never forget them.
Academic information
Academic level at the host university
As I studied in Ireland, I was being lectured in English. I did four courses. I study psychology
and since I will do my master in economic psychology, I wanted to broaden my marketing
knowledge. Therefore, I had two psychology courses (it is mandatory to have at least two
courses of your own field of study) and two marketing courses. Those were: Social
Psychology II, Psychology and Social Issues, Marketing, and Consumption and Consumer
Culture. The UL way of teaching differs quite a lot from the UvT way of teaching. In Tilburg,
I study from books and articles; mainly a theoretical approach. In Ireland, on the other hand, I
had to write many essays, did two presentations and group projects; a more practical
approach. From the four courses I was enrolled in, I did an exam in two of them. Not a single
exam was a 100% exam, meaning that I already had a certain percentage of my final grade
through essays or presentations. One lecture was 50 minutes, which was for me exactly long
enough since I am about to lose focus around that point. Besides lectures, all of my courses
except one, had tutorials, which run once a week and are 50 minutes as well. The level of
education at UL differed as well compared to UvT. Especially the tutorials. For example, for
the course Psychology and Social Issues we had to participate in a 10k run and once every
two tutorials we did a walk or run around campus to train for that. During the other tutorials
we had discussions about charity: for what kind of charities we want to raise money for and
how. I would never have these kind of tutorials in Tilburg. Similarities are the way of giving
lectures: UL and UvT both use PowerPoint, but at UL there was more interaction between
lecturer and students, because the classes were smaller and the students were more inclined to
answer the lecturer’s questions. The lecturer stood closer to the students and were more easy
to approach; during and after the lectures. Before I started my exchange, I already got my
Bachelor’s degree in psychology and followed some marketing courses. Most parts of the
courses were complementary but some parts were a repetition for me. We had quite some
information to endure, but the level of education was not that high, especially not compared to
Tilburg. But in general I am more than satisfied with my overall academic achievements
during my exchange.
The type of examination was different than I was used to. The exams consisted of exam
questions. There were five questions given from which we had to chose two to answer.
Normally I make multiple choice exams, so I had to adjust my way of studying. The library is
a good place for studying. Everywhere are silent areas and there are books in plenitude. It is
not possible to make a reservation for a computer, so you have to wait in a line if all the
computers are taken. During the exam period that queue was crazy; the line even ran outside
the building.
Below is an overview of the courses I followed:
Course
MK4002
Marketing
Level
BA
Prerequisites
None
Exam
-
ECTS
6
MK4004
Consumer
and
consumption
culture
PS4032
Psychology
and Social
Issues
PS4047 Social
Psychology II
BA
None
Written
exam paper
6
BA
None
-
6
BA
Social
Psychology II
Witten exam
paper
6
Comments
One essay and
one
presentation
Two big
essays
Limerick may not be widely known by everybody but it is Ireland’s third biggest city. A lot of
students live there and it is a lively city. There are many things organised; by the university
but also by the students themselves. I would definitely recommend an exchange in Limerick
or Ireland. The Dutch and Irish climate look a lot like each other, except that Ireland is colder
and more wet. So a good jacket and pair of shoes are recommended. Thereby, it is important
to come open minded and to let it all just happen. Before my departure, I didn’t know what to
expect at all. Of course I was prepared, but you will never know exactly what crosses your
path. Not a moment did I regret my exchange and writing this, it makes me wanting to go
back even more...