A Semester in London Past Review

By Kylie R (Mass Communication and Theatre, Towson University) - abroad from 09/17/2016 to 12/17/2016 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: London, England

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

Studying abroad was the best experience of my life, and I miss it everyday. I learned how to adapt myself to new places. I learned to budget my money. I learned just how big our world is, and how important it is to get our of your bubble.

Review Photos

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	I was able to take classes such as London Theatre Studies and Event Planning which aren't offered at my home university.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Our program Director's name was Cassandra, and she was so energetic, funny, outgoing, helpful, and knowledgeable about the country. The experience would definitely have not been the same without her.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I stayed in a dorm/flat in Harrow, so just a tube ride away from central London. It was much quieter than staying in the middle of the city, and it had a nice community feel to it. I had my own room and bathroom. I shared a kitchen with 5 other people.
* Food:	You can get pretty much any kind of food you could want in London
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I had no health issues
* Safety:	I never once felt unsafe in London. Every week, our program Director would sent us a weekend travel survey, where we would tell her where we were traveling that weekend or if we were staying in London. If we were traveling, we would give her our flight information just in case anything were to happen to us, she would know where we were.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I would 100% go abroad with CEA again if I could. This program exceeded my expectation, and I couldn't imagine a better study abroad program.

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)	I'm good with saving money/spending on a budget, but at the same time, this was a once in a lifetime experience, so I was more flexible with my money
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$150 USD
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Try to create a budget and stick to it as best you can.

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	Local Students Americans International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	The excursions (Paris, Wales, Cambridge, Bath) The activities (walks around the city, bus tour, dinners) How available our program Director was for us
* What could be improved?	I honestly don't think anything needs to be improved
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	That the experience will end, and to make the most of every single day.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	London Theatre Studies
Course Department:
Instructor:	Helen Eastman
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This course really took advantage of the location. Every week we went to see a different show. Some were big West End shows, some were small fringe shows in the basement of a bar. We were exposed to all the different types of theatre experiences London had to offer. We used class time to discuss the show that week and learn more about theatre. We were also able to take backstage tours of the National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe. My instructor was very knowledgeable and well-connected. She brought in guest speakers who were notable in the London theatre scene. We had one big presentation at the end of the term, and it was on the topic of our choice. This course was unlike anything I had ever taken before, and one that I would highly recommend to anyone with even the smallest interest in theatre.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I had no problem transferring my credits.