Arcadia Abroad Fostered my Love for London February 21, 2025

By Kylee L (Publishing, Belmont University) - abroad from 01/08/2025 to 04/20/2025 with

Arcadia: London - Arcadia in London

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

Very much worthwhile. It taught me to be independent and to be comfortable on my own, whether I was taking solo-trips across the city or going to see a movie or a play alone. you'll get a lot more from your experience if you don't wait for someone to hod your hand the whole way. Enjoy your own company and earn to be present for yourself.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	I absolutely loved the classes that I took during my time in London. Getting to read British literature and study Shakespeare while being in such a rich, historic city gave me a deeper perspective and appreciation for the subjects.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	I absolutely loved the staff of Arcadia Abroad, both at the school itself and the RLAs at PEH. Everyone was super helpful and easy to contact. I could tell that they truly cared about ensuring we had the best experience.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Very satisfied! the location of Princess Elizabeth House, staff at the house, and cleanliness were all above and beyond expectation.
* Food:	N/A, meal plan was not provided. Aldi was walking distance from PEH, so it was very easy to cook for myself.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I felt secluded from British culture, since everyone studying at Arcadia was American. there are, however, opportunities to connect with student organizations at UCL. I couldn't partake, since my classes interfered with my desired club's meeting time.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I had no issue with my health while I was abroad, so I can't say.
* Safety:	I always felt safe in London, especially in Highgate. Even riding the tube alone at night, I never felt endangered or threatened. Highgate is a posh town filled with homes and families, so it's not as dense/dangerous as the center of London. PEH itself is highly secured and you have to scan your ID multiple times to get inside.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I absolutely loved my experience in London, so much so that I'm working on saving up to get my MFA there. The Princess Elizabeth House staff, professors, and other team members made the transition into study abroad smooth and effortless. I always felt safe and welcomed.

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)	Very easily. Belmont gave a hefty discount to honors students studying abroad, which actually made tuition $5000 cheaper for me. Fresh groceries are MUCH cheaper in the UK, especially when you cook in groups, which my friends and I did. We ate for $1-$3 per night. Sure, London can be expensive if you eat out every night, but so long as you're responsible, it is easy to keep spending down.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	I spent about $100 a week on food on a London-based week, but spent more on trips outside of the UK. I would say I spent about $100-$200 on personal expenses, whether I was shopping, buying tickets, or getting coffees.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	COOK AS A GROUP! Family dinners became a ritual for my friends and I. Not only did it allow us to spend time together and become closer, but it allowed us to save (likely) hundreds of dollars on groceries. The most we spent individually on groceries (once split 5 ways) was $5. Learn to cook for yourself and others, and you can make high-quality meals that would cost double the price of your groceries.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* 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?	location/setup of housing engagement with professors focus on english lit. classes
* What could be improved?	Preparation from Belmont (pre-departure) Integration with local students More class options
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I have no regrets from my experience in London, but I tried my utmost to live in the moment and soak up every second. I highly encourage others to do the same. If anything, I wish I had gotten to know the other abroad students from my home university better, since Belmont provided no way for us to connect previously.

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:	Introduction to Shakespeare
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Louise Burns
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	We got to take field trips to go see several Shakespearian plays. Though I'd read Shakespeare in high school, this was a whole different experience. This class taught me a new love for his plays, since they were meant to be watched, not read in a cinderblock high school classroom. Our homework was mostly reading based, which helped give us a common language to discuss the plays. Papers made up the bulk of our coursework, though the topics were broad enough so that every student could enter the plays from an angle that most interested them. Professor Burns was one of the most engaging and knowledgeable professors I've ever had, and I'm so thankful.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues.

Course Name/Rating:	The London Novel
Course Department:	English Lit
Instructor:	Robert Lederer
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This class exposed me to a niche of classic literature I'd never been able to explore before. We read many novels from different time periods including "Mrs Dalloway," "Howards End," and "Lonely Londoners." Professor Lederer set a high standard for the class and encouraged us to think critically about the text and put them into context of the city around us. the most memorable part of the class was taking a walking tour inspired by "Mrs Dalloway." Though the novel was impactful enough on its own, we got to walk in the literal footsteps of the characters while learning about the social context of the story. It was such a powerful experience.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No.

Course Name/Rating:	Introduction to Sociology
Course Department:	Psychology
Instructor:	Nicky Busch
Instruction Language:	english
Comments:	The class itself wasn't challenging, but the quality of instruction by the professor was. It was clear that she had a lot on her plate and didn't mean to neglect the class, but she was almost always late to class or fully absent from class (or physically there and mentally absent). This made it difficult to truly engage with the class, especially when our instructor would show up late (or not at all) to scheduled field trips. The material of the class was interesting, but I didn't get to engage with it as deeply as I hoped to.
Credit Transfer Issues:	None.