Minor Abroad University College Cork 2018
For my study European Languages and Cultures I was given the option to study abroad for a semester. Since my major language is English, I chose to study in Ireland. I deliberately chose Ireland over England because I have had a longstanding interest in the landscape and culture (which did not disappoint!) and wanted to encounter a different accent than the standardized academic English we deal with most of the time in Groningen. I chose University College Cork (UCC) because after some online reading, I learned that Cork is also a very student-orientated city with a lot of entertainment and a beautiful and vibrant campus.
In accordance with the two profiles within my study, politics and literature, I chose courses to match these. In addition, however, I also picked a course to broaden my knowledge about the Irish culture and heritage. This latter course called “Introduction to Modern Irish History” is especially for international students and has given me a nice insight into important historic events that have occurred in Ireland and shaped the Irish culture. I would definitely recommend this course if you want to learn some more about the country and its history, it is a nice addition and does not take up too much time. Next to this course, I studied a literary course called “Women and Literature”, about the gendered history of literature and some prominent literary works by women and a history course called “The Global Renaissance: 1300-1600” that also dealt with some literary works from that time period. For my politics profile, I followed the courses “Global Political Economy – Trade”, that deals with international trade on a political level, “International Relations I” that focused on political theory of the modern era, and “Contemporary Ecological & Anti-Capitalist Politics”
which was originally a Masters course and therefore a little bit harder than anticipated, it was, however, a nice blend of dystopian literature and political elements. The courses overall were easy to follow and all worth 5 ECTS. Different than in Groningen, at UCC you follow six courses over the entire semester instead of three courses per block. You then have mid- terms in autumn and final exams just before Christmas and resits in January. This is very doable but be careful not to underestimate the amount of work you have to do at the end of the semester, because deadlines may follow up very fast. You do get a week of at the start of December to prepare or to travel, if you have all your work sorted out.
The International Office of UCC is very helpful in providing you with the right information and keep you updated on matters you need to arrange for your Erasmus grant etcetera. They are also very helpful if you have any questions about your studies or accommodation. When it comes to accommodation, there is also a special placement service for which you can apply, they then try their hardest to offer you a suitable room near the campus. There is a big shortage, however, when it comes to student accommodation, similar to that in Groningen. Therefore you cannot rely on the placement service entirely as they work on a first-come-first-served basis and cannot guarantee a room. If they cannot offer you a room, however, they will still help you wherever needed in finding suitable accommodation. Personally I also was not offered a room by the placement service because I had applied too late, I was noticed about this by email and they gave me some tips on how to find accommodation myself. I was told I could try to email all the big student accommodation complexes if they happened to have spare rooms due to cancellations or dropouts. I got lucky and found a room in Brookfield Village, which is a big student complex just a 10 minute walk from the UCC campus. I shared an apartment with three other girls who were also internationals, which was nice. Overall you can easily get around the city by bus, for which you can get a so-called leap card (similar to OV chip card) with student discounts. Personally I also walked a lot, the city centre was a 20-30 minute walk, but when doing groceries I would definitely recommend using the bus. There is also a bike rental service but I do not have experience with this. Accommodation overall is simple but decent in Cork, it is, however, very expensive so do keep in mind that this will cost a lot, probably over 600 a month or more, gas and electrics included.
What I liked most about my time in Ireland was the reception and events organised by the International Student Society. Through the International Office you can get into contact with this society already during the summer break and join them on Facebook and also WhatsApp. At the start of the semester they organised a lot of activities to get to know the campus, the city, and especially other international students. During two introduction weeks, there were campus- and city tours almost every day. In addition they organised activities ranging from themed parties and pub crawls to board-game evenings and “speed-dating” to get to know other students. Parties organised by the International Student Society were held almost every week to keep you involved. In addition, the society organises a variety of day-
and weekend trips at a reasonable price, to get to know the country. They do trips to nearby cities such as Kinsale and Cobh, and weekend trips to Kerry, Galway or Northern Ireland.
Overall the International Student Society is a great tool to get to know other students and get involved in student-life. I enjoyed their parties very much as well as some of the trips I took.
This society really makes you feel welcome in the city and at the university. In addition there are numerous of other student and sport societies that you can join for free. I personally went on some hiking trips with the mountaineering club, which I would also very much recommend if you enjoy discovering the Irish countryside.
When in Cork, I kept in contact with the University of Groningen through skype conversations with my supervisor from the English department. This was not very often, however, because I did not encounter a lot of issues during my time abroad. I suppose that when you do have problems, you can always contact someone at your home university, if not a supervisor then the mobility office. I also kept in contact with some other students that went abroad to Brighton to talk about their experiences and ask questions about for example documents for the Erasmus grant.
I was quite shocked about the prices in Ireland, since it is a pretty expensive country, especially when it comes to accommodation. Costs for groceries were average and comparable to the Netherlands, drinks were on average a bit more expensive I would say. On the site of UCC, under International Students, you can find an oversight of estimated costs for almost everything, so do take a look if you want to know exactly what the overall costs will be. Including trips discovering the country, I personally spent quite a lot of money over the course of one semester, so I recommend you save some money in advance or perhaps increase your student loan for the period you are abroad. It would be a waste to not go on trips and explore the country when you are there, since it is absolutely stunning!
A minor note to conclude, the Irish accent takes some time getting used to! I did found it a nice addition to my English, since they use a lot of slang words as well as Gaelic influences.
Anne-Baukje Coster A.B.Coster@student.rug.nl
