Life Style of ATI Students And Athlone

Desertback

Hello I am a student in Arizona US and I have been thinking about doing a program where I will study for a month in Athlone Ireland at ATI. What I want to know is what is like to live in Athlone Ireland.

Like

How you feel about American Students ( I ask this because I never know how Irish people feel about Americans since I never met foreign exchange students from Ireland )

What is the life style like ( I'm from Arizona......we have no true culture really )

What are things I should avoid ( Places or etc )

What are good places for a college student in Ireland or Athlone (Pubs..places to eat..etc)

And my most important question is ...... How much is a box of Kools 100s ciggs ( Yes I'm a smoker and no I ain't going to quit....its a AZ thing lmao )


Also if you got questions about AZ your welcome to ask

Dave_Kilkenny

Desertback wrote: »

Hello I am a student in Arizona US and I have been thinking about doing a program where I will study for a month in Athlone Ireland at ATI. What I want to know is what is like to live in Athlone Ireland.

Like

How you feel about American Students ( I ask this because I never know how Irish people feel about Americans since I never met foreign exchange students from Ireland )

What is the life style like ( I'm from Arizona......we have no true culture really )

What are things I should avoid ( Places or etc )

What are good places for a college student in Ireland or Athlone (Pubs..places to eat..etc)

And my most important question is ...... How much is a box of Kools 100s ciggs ( Yes I'm a smoker and no I ain't going to quit....its a AZ thing lmao )


Also if you got questions about AZ your welcome to ask

Not even from or going to this college but - I dont think you'll find any brand named Kools in Ireland, I guess you better stock up at your duty free when leaving.
Also another word of warning - Fags are very expensive in ireland at €8.55 for a twenty pack. In the EU 10 packs aren't sold.

Desertback

Desertback wrote: »

Hello I am a student in Arizona US and I have been thinking about doing a program where I will study for a month in Athlone Ireland at ATI. What I want to know is what is like to live in Athlone Ireland.

Like

How you feel about American Students ( I ask this because I never know how Irish people feel about Americans since I never met foreign exchange students from Ireland )

What is the life style like ( I'm from Arizona......we have no true culture really )

What are things I should avoid ( Places or etc )

What are good places for a college student in Ireland or Athlone (Pubs..places to eat..etc)

And my most important question is ...... How much is a box of Kools 100s ciggs ( Yes I'm a smoker and no I ain't going to quit....its a AZ thing lmao )


Also if you got questions about AZ your welcome to ask

Hi, I ain't in AIT but I'm from Athlone.

First things first, yeah you're gonna wanna stock up on Kools. There not sold in Ireland and I've never even heard of them before. So yeah, Stock Up!!

As for American students, Irish people have no problem with them, as they don't with any foreign students. Sure you'll stand out because of your accent, but I mean, if anything that'll make you more approachable because it's a conversation starter. It's definitely something to not worry about.

As for places to avoid, Athlone is quite safe in general but yeah no more than any other place, there are certain residential areas you'll probably want to avoid. I suppose the most obvious place is an area called Willow Park. It' directly opposite AIT and pretty much a giant mass of estates and semi-detached houses. Now don't get me wrong, the majority of Willow Park is fine, with grand people. But yeah there are areas of it that wouldn't be the best place for a visiting student to be!

Emm places to go and things to do in Athlone?? If there are any :P Nah, there's a few pubs and places to go. Cinema I guess, the shopping centres too. As for pubs, most the pubs in town are fine places. The best is probably regarded as Seans down beside the Castle. Go visit the Castle too actually!!

As for other places in Ireland, obviously you've Dublin to go too, but try other places too. Like Galway, maybe Killarney, Westport, Limerick.

The college itself is pretty good too, so yeah, go for it. And welcome to Ireland.

Here's a video that people coming to Athlone should all be shown :P
Just remember, it's not what Athlone is really like!! It's a joke!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdFqBV6zFuI

IPushButtons

Desertback wrote: »

What I want to know is what is like to live in Athlone Ireland.

Well it kinda like watching a dog eating his own crap, your not quite sure why he's doing it, he just does it

Desertback wrote: »

How you feel about American Students

You should ok, but may encounter some hostility just because your American, make no sense to me, some people just dont like Americans noting you can do about that.

Desertback wrote: »

What is the life style like

This question can be sumed up in one word, drink !!

Desertback wrote: »

What are things I should avoid

Avoid Willow Park, ask questions when you get here AIT should give you some kinda orentation when you get here but if they dont ask your fellow students or the students union would be more that happy to give you a run down of the area

Desertback wrote: »

What are good places for a college student in Athlone

Again the pub is Always a good option, the college also has clubs and societies that you can join

Desertback wrote: »

And my most important question is ...... How much is a box of Kools 100s ciggs ( Yes I'm a smoker and no I ain't going to quit....its a AZ thing lmao )

We dont have Kools over here or at least I've never seen them on sale in Athlone so you'd be better off if you brought some with you I'd recomend you make some investigative inquiries with customs and excise to see how many smokes you can bring with you. If you dont want to bring your own cigarettes the they cost about E8.65 (20 pack) that's about $11.70

http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/leaflets/pn1878a.html

Conor_M1990

Desertback wrote: »

Hello I am a student in Arizona US and I have been thinking about doing a program where I will study for a month in Athlone Ireland at ATI. What I want to know is what is like to live in Athlone Ireland.

Like

How you feel about American Students ( I ask this because I never know how Irish people feel about Americans since I never met foreign exchange students from Ireland )

shouldnt be an issue might get the odd prick but you'll get that anywhere

What is the life style like ( I'm from Arizona......we have no true culture really )

Drink Drink and more Drink

What are things I should avoid ( Places or etc )

I know people say to avoid Willow but imo its grand never had any issues here Ive lived here for two years just has a bad name

What are good places for a college student in Ireland or Athlone (Pubs..places to eat..etc)

In Athlone Seans is a trip down to see eating out is expensive Dublin and Galway are worth a trip to

And my most important question is ...... How much is a box of Kools 100s ciggs ( Yes I'm a smoker and no I ain't going to quit....its a AZ thing lmao )

Stock up a box of 20 here is 8.65 unless you get somebody to sell you Eastern European cigs (usually around 5 euro a box) Kools arent sold here rolling tabacco is around 5.20 with a box of filters

a pint is around 4-5 euro usually 4.40 in most places for shopping go to lidl or Aldi

Also if you got questions about AZ your welcome to ask

hope this hleps

vinamax

*AIT

Well it is a bit different here. It's colder and wetter for a start...

We don't mind ye Septics as long as you're not too loud or obnoxious and "Oh my GAWD, you have red hair!!! Are you a lepruchean*??" about everything. My best female friend is originally from Queens, NYC. She is loud, but she is an intelligent person and up for a laugh, and most importantly she understands the Irish sense of humour and swear-words... :P We know a lot of Americans are lovely people who can think for themselves, but the more insular redneck-types are the ones who make the international news more often so sadly that is a common stereotype.

The lifestyle is NOT all drink-drink-drink. We do enjoy some other things... Like soccer, music, GAA sports (Irish variation of football and a hockey-like game called hurling), gaming(videogames and board/RPG/card games), movies, and a lot of "normal" things. It's not all corned beef and spuds either, a lot of people prefer chicken and chips(fries) :P

Don't be amazed to find things that are similar to home, don't be an annoying Plastic Paddy tourist, and don't be afraid to talk to people. A lot of us are friendly and we get a lot of Erasmus students in AIT so another foreigner won't haze us.

Just remember: We don't accept dollars :P

IPushButtons

^
Well that's the female perspective..........

vinamax

That is the perspective of someone who has had a lot of dealings with international students and knows that there is more to life than the pub.

Whenever you get here just take an open minded look around, be willing to try new things and don't be afraid to make new friends Most people in AIT and on this list will want to make you feel welcome and genuinely help out if you need it.

hdowney

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi, I ain't in AIT but I'm from Athlone.

First things first, yeah you're gonna wanna stock up on Kools. There not sold in Ireland and I've never even heard of them before. So yeah, Stock Up!!

As for American students, Irish people have no problem with them, as they don't with any foreign students. Sure you'll stand out because of your accent, but I mean, if anything that'll make you more approachable because it's a conversation starter. It's definitely something to not worry about.

As for places to avoid, Athlone is quite safe in general but yeah no more than any other place, there are certain residential areas you'll probably want to avoid. I suppose the most obvious place is an area called Willow Park. It' directly opposite AIT and pretty much a giant mass of estates and semi-detached houses. Now don't get me wrong, the majority of Willow Park is fine, with grand people. But yeah there are areas of it that wouldn't be the best place for a visiting student to be!

Emm places to go and things to do in Athlone?? If there are any :P Nah, there's a few pubs and places to go. Cinema I guess, the shopping centres too. As for pubs, most the pubs in town are fine places. The best is probably regarded as Seans down beside the Castle. Go visit the Castle too actually!!

As for other places in Ireland, obviously you've Dublin to go too, but try other places too. Like Galway, maybe Killarney, Westport, Limerick.

The college itself is pretty good too, so yeah, go for it. And welcome to Ireland.

Here's a video that people coming to Athlone should all be shown :P
Just remember, it's not what Athlone is really like!! It's a joke!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdFqBV6zFuI

i don't know about athlone but that isn't completely true here. now proper students - as in come over and go to college here (semester abroad types) are probably well regarded. but the (mainly spanish) who come for the summeer, stand in massive groups on the footpath blocking doorways and won't shift, don't know how to q etc are not very welcome by general people here. i'd happily squish them!

but americans are generally more well received anyway so you should be fine.

i am more than likely going to ait in september so i might see you there?

vinamax

Deleted User wrote: »

Go visit the Castle too actually!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdFqBV6zFuI

The castle is closed for renovations until July 2011, and closes for the winter in October Tis pretty friggin' sweet to look at from the outside though

YbFocus

Hey, how are you?

I'm studying mechanical engineering in Athlone IT at the minute and have to say it's a lovely place! Everyone is dead on and your lecturers are really there to help you with anything you need, students are all fine and the whole place is generally relaxed!

I've been here a year now and haven't seen one bit of racism against anyone at all. Actually I didn't even see a row all year

The clubs and students union are great their there to help and can get you settled here!

Again no cigarettes to that name and be prepared for Ireland to be a little more expensive than you would be used to.