A well-rounded, surreal experience Past Review

By Samantha Phillips (Pennsylvania State University - University Park / Penn State) - abroad from 05/26/2017 to 06/24/2017 with

Arcadia: London - Arcadia in London Summer

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned about the different cultures within England itself, as well as how beautiful and diverse the United Kingdom is. It was very worthwhile, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Review Photos

Arcadia: London - Arcadia in London Summer Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Everyone I encountered in the Arcadia staff in London was always super helpful, and always cheerful.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I lived in Princess Elisabeth House in HIghgate, and it was lovely. Coming from a suburban/rural area back at home, I adjusted well, as the house was located in a suburban area. The only trouble arose was when some of the girls on my floor would consistently leave dirty dishes and messes in our shared kitchen.
* Food:	The food was excellent! And due to there not being many (if any) preservatives in England's food products, it was healthy for you. I especially recommend trying clotted cream, a Galaxy chocolate bar, and a Kinder Bueno chocolate bar.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	About a week and a half in, I felt like I had gotten over the feeling that I was a tourist or stranger to the city, and adapted quite nicely. When the elections happened when we were there I felt a little out of place, but otherwise I felt largely a part of the culture.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	Arcadia provided students with healthcare while abroad. I thankfully did not need to seek any medical help while abroad, however, my roommate did need to get medical care at one point for a kidney infection. Otherwise, I felt extremely healthy while in London---even my allergies did not flare up!
* Safety:	When I studied there, the London Bridge attack happened about a week and a half in, and the Manchester attack had happened right before I left to go to London. Despite these attacks making us all feel a little uneasy, Arcadia had us do mandatory check-ins to locate us and ensured we were safe and would receive assistance if needed.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes Arcadia University really kept us informed from the time we were accepted into the program, to the days up to our departure to return home. While I lived in England, I also had the opportunity to take day trips to Brighton and Stratford-upon-Avon through the university, as well as day trips to Cardiff and Oxford, and a weekend trip to Edinburgh through my own careful planning. Being in such a great location really helped me explore different parts of the United Kingdom, and take a course which was extremely enjoyable yet challenging.

Finances

* 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)	4.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	I spent the equivalent of around $75 a week on food, transportation, and personal expenses. The majority of the cost came from having to commute to class and get groceries every 5 days or so. I would have spread out getting groceries to every 8 days or so, but since their foods do not have many preservatives, they would go bad within 5.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Make sure you only buy what groceries you need, and keep in mind that you are buying only for you--do not buy too much and risk food spoiling and wasting money. Also, checkout Poundland/Poundworld while there, which is the equivalent of our dollar stores. They have snacks and some drinks for cheap prices, as well as toiletries, stationary, etcetera. Aside from saving money on food, save money on transportation by loading up your Oyster card with 50 pounds every week and a half to two weeks, and walk whenever able.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Other
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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?	Fairness of instructor and course Accessibility/affordability to travel to other countries Meeting new people that came from all over the United States and living with them
* What could be improved?	Better directions in the airport upon arrival Installation of air conditioning or fans in the housing for heat waves Better enforcement of kitchen clean-up in housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I now know how to book bus and train tickets for international travel, and know that the tube system is divided in 9 zones, each zone costing different prices to travel to and from. Basically, I wish I had known more about the cost of travel in the U.K. as well as to Europe.

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	London Stage in Text and Performance
Course Department:
Instructor:	Louise Burns
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course was a great balance between excursions to see productions, and in-class discussion a few times a week. Louise was extremely passionate about the subject matter, and it showed! Her enthusiasm and acceptance of differing opinions made me feel comfortable speaking in class, more so than I would at Penn State. We were assessed through a daily journal log, as well as 3 papers and a final presentation in class.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I will not receive confirmation of my final grade/transcript transfer until September, however, my credit will be transferring in as elective credit.