The experience of a lifetime! Past Review
By jane.white.961556 (PSYCHOLOGY., Brigham Young University) - abroad from 09/15/2012 to 12/14/2012 with
Brigham Young University: London - London Study Abroad
I grew in maturity quite a bit. I also learned how to get along in very close proximity with a lot of people who I never would have met otherwise. I learned how to travel well and I gained a lot of insight into the lives of the locals in London.
Review Photos
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. |
Very interesting courses and assignments. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in London, but I would advise future students to keep close watch on their belongings, just in case pickpockets are around, and especially when using public transportation or visiting especially popular tourist attractions |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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 a very expensive city, and I found myself spending up to $200 a week solely on transportation and meals on the weekends. Towards the end of the program I was able to spend my money more carefully, but it was challenging. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150-$200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy groceries for yourself each week and try to make your own lunches every day. On the weekends when meals aren't provided, pack your own food to try and avoid eating out. It's too expensive otherwise. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We only had a foreign language component because we traveled in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands for 3 weeks at the start of the program. So we had to try and learn a little bit of French to try and ease the language barrier while we were in France. Our directors were well aware of the fact that none of us had expected to speak French on our London Study Abroad, but they did their best to encourage us and taught us a few phrases to help us out. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I wish I had known just how expensive London is. The exchange rate fluctuates fairly often, but everything was nearly twice as expensive there as it would be in the USA, and because of that I felt like my experiences were limited, and there were very few shows and experiences in the actual city of London that were covered by the program. I had to pay for everything I wanted to do in London. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
