Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Living the Dream Past Review

By (Arizona State University) - abroad from 05/21/2014 to 07/05/2014 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: London, England

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was able to gain the experience of living like a Londoner which was what I wanted. It was worth every minute, I just wish I had gone for longer!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The CAPA staff were amazing and always willing to help! Any issues that occurred were addressed as quickly as possible and a solution was offered.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartment complex I was housed in was above my expectations. The location was amazing and it was nice to live a building with only CAPA students.

* Food:

Our flat was located across the street from a grocery store and very close to many restaurants and food markets.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

The general feel of London for me was very non-threatening. To enter the CAPA building for classes you needed to be buzzed in and you needed to know the code to enter the block of flats I lived in. I felt very safe throughout the duration of the program.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

My flatmates and I enjoyed going out and experiencing the pub culture and ethnic restaurants in the area, therefore our spending was a bit higher. It would not have been difficult to live on a lower budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~$150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? At the start of each week, take money out of an ATM and only have that money for the week. It will make you spend less at the beginning of the week and you will have extra left at the weekends to go out with your friends.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* 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?
  • My Flatmates
  • my housing location
  • the support/program offered from staff
* What could be improved?
  • More interaction with London locals
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that I would fall in love with London. My biggest regret is doing a summer program rather than semester because my program went by way faster than I thought it would!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A 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.