Life changing. I got to do and see things I never even imagined. Past Review
By Maura O (Public Relations, Advertising, Applied Communication, Marywood University) - abroad from 08/31/2015 to 12/19/2015 with
AIFS London - Richmond, The American International University in London
I learned more about myself and grew more than I ever thought possible. I was always shy and quiet and was extremely anxious about making new friends abroad and through studying abroad and AIFS I made some of my best friends. I was also able to go on trips with people strangers and come back as friends. I learned that I can do anything I dream of. London was always a dream and I achieved it plus so much more. My education was still great but everything outside of the classroom was honestly much more important. I got to see some of the most beautiful and historic places in the world and I will be forever grateful to Marywood and AIFS for the experience of a lifetime.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
My courses in London were different to what I was used to but I enjoyed all of my classes very much. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I STRONGLY encourage anyone to study abroad with AIFS. My resident directors on campus were amazing. They were in the office 5 days of the week not only to answer ANY questions we had or just to chat. Anderson, Nicki and Tracy were our London mums and made it a great experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed in Atlantic House on the Richmond campus and it was a typical dorm. I liked that the cafeteria was in the building. |
| * Food: |
It was free.. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
AIFS had an amazing orientation week for us. We did so many amazing things within the first week I never would have been able to do. We were taken on tours and were given free time and there were many people available to help. They also had events and trips throughout the semester. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no personal health issues but a friend had a sinus infection and had to pay 60 pounds upfront which made me glad I never got sick. |
| * Safety: |
Richmond is located in Kensington which was an incredibly beautiful neighborhood and I always felt safe there. I always went with friends but I also felt very safe in London in general. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I fell in love with London years ago without having even seen it. My expectations for the city were completely blown away. AIFS was an incredible program because it helped me meet some of my best friends. I was nervous about not making friends but the set up of the program had all of us in the same boat and there were many activities and opportunities for students to meet. London is my favorite place in the world and AIFS helped introduce me to my future home and I would not have wanted any other program or people to have experienced it with. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
London is very expensive. I knew this before I left so I tried to save and budget accordingly but I am a free spending person. But if you plan and save and work to save where you can it is fine. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Depends! 100-200 pounds a week? Mainly on food and transport. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save as much as possible before going! Save wherever you can- if your uni/program offers free meals- take advantage! AIFS program included breakfast and dinner every weekday which made it easier because I only really needed to buy food on the weekends or for lunch. Learn to love water- its free. Try and give yourself a weekly budget. Plan the outside trips you really want ASAP. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | That I would have the time of my life. I was so nervous about everything that would happen from living abroad to friends that I think it almost ruined the experience of preparing. Getting ready to study abroad should be an exciting time and I think I let my nerves get in the way of that. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
