The Great Experience of My Life, Thus Far Past Review
By A student (University of Westminster) - abroad from 09/14/2016 to 12/17/2016 with
Birkbeck University of London: London - Direct Enrollment and Exchange
This trip was more than worthwhile. I gained a great deal of insight on the world beyond the United States. It gave me the opportunity to see the world outside of a television screen or magazine.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The educational experience allows for a nice balance between travel and studies. For most students studying abroad the exploration aspect is pivotal so I greatly appreciated the program helping my find a balance. On certain occasions, deadlines prevented me from going out or traveling but that is the nature of school. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was incredibly helpful. Whenever I had an issue, the entire staff was proactive in assisting my efforts to resolve it. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my living arrangement! Although the rooms were not very big-it was built like a small spaceship-, I had my own space (privacy, personal bathroom, etc.) a phenomenal location, a communal kitchen. The best part about the room was that it was a walking distance from all academic building and a long walk from the nightlife. |
| * Food: |
Personally, I like a mixture of cooking and eating out so I was happy. The program offers a boxset of cooking utensils which were helpful in starting off my kitchen experience. My dorm had a cafeteria in it and many stores and food-chains nearby. Additionally, London is a city filled with many restaurants so it is rarely difficult to find food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The transition was smooth. Due to the fact I am accustom to Western culture, the integration into English culture was not too difficult. I made a great number of friends early on and I did not encounter any issues becoming situated into my new environment. Truthfully, I did not feel a need to engage in too many social events in search of camaraderie. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The healthcare system wasn't great. As an American citizen, I did not have access to the British healthcare system so I had certain restrictions. When I needed to go to the doctor's office, I had to go to a specific location in a convenient spot but during inconvenient hours. |
| * Safety: |
Stay amongst friends until you have a better handle of the city then you don't have much to worry about. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I will never forget this experience! The people, the places, The memories, and the connections have been cemented in my mind. I know in 30 years I will look back on this period with a smile. |
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 expensive and due to its political landscape within the United Kingdom, the prices will only increase. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Leave early so that you can walk or bike through London. It saves money on the tube and it allows you to become more familiar with the area while seeing the sights. If you are of age, pregame before you go out because buying drinks in clubs or bars cost an arm and a leg. Lastly, plan trips well in advance. The closer to the departure date the more expensive flights, hotels and rentals become. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | 10+ |
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? | The importance of scheduling trips in advance. The longer you wait to finalize a trip the more expensive it becomes. |
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. |
