I'll never forget you, London! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My time in London with CAPA changed my life! I had never traveled internationally before this trip, and I have been thankful for the experience ever since! I was lost my Sophomore year in terms of figuring out if I would attend summer school or get involved with an internship, but CAPA helped me do both. I got to complete my Shakespeare credit in six weeks while working with one of London's most prestigious literary and talent agencies, Agora Books. Courses provided more lively experiences than my classes back home, which included trips to museums and plays around the city, including the Globe! Living within the culture of London taught me more about my ability to move among the city independently. CAPA's staff was proactive in providing resources needed for both inside and outside the classroom. London was everything I needed at the time and more!

On-site administration of your program

CAPA London's host administration gave us all the information we needed, and when I had trouble accessing my financial aid during my trip, CAPA worked tirelessly in helping me get the information to my school as soon as possible! They were unbelievably kind and took the time to get to know students and provide advice on how to get around in the city of London!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The living arrangements were not what I expected. I did not necessarily enjoy being in a bunk bed, but it was all they had. CAPA London staff informed us that because it only gets really hot in the city only two weeks out of the entire year, we ended up being there for one of those weeks. We pushed through as well as we could with no air conditioning, using wet towels and drinking as much water as possible. Everyone came out alright. I will say have discussions with your suitemates in advance in terms of cleanliness. There were a few times we had critters coming out the kitchen due to lack of washed dishes and rarely taking out the trash. If you are not in the business of cleaning up after others, make that clear from the start. Once you are the one consistently taking care of other people's mess, they'll keep thinking it's okay to be messy.

I took care of myself as best as I could despite not coming with a lot of money when I first showed up to London. I meal prepped well and took lunch with me often to my internship. On the few occasions that I did go out, it took about a week or two to get out of the mindset of constantly looking for American food, and some of the American restaurants I ate in tasted much different from how I tasted it in the States. Everything is relatively cheap, which made me enjoy the food even more. I live for the morning croissants from Sainsbury's market.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

What I appreciated most is that no assumptions were made upon me about my American culture. People were proper in the way they asked about how I grew up and where I go to college. My colleagues were extremely kind, as was the surrounding community on GoldHawk, which is where I stayed. I did not picture London as being as diverse as it was when I first got there, but that made me more comfortable knowing that there wasn't one type on London citizen.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I cannot speak on this service as I had no use for my healthcare while traveling.

CAPA London's staff provides a service for students in case of emergencies. If they assume or suspect anything is wrong, the app requires that all students check in to confirm their location and their safety.

I enjoyed every trip, tour, and person I encountered.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

This had to be the downside to my trip, as I could not do as much as my peers in terms of food and travel. By the time I was accepted to CAPA, I was too late for most of the scholarships. Therefore, I came out of pocket for everything else. My school for some reason withheld my financial aid for the summer and I did not see that money until the last week of my trip. My budget was tighter than others, as I meal prepped for most of my trip on chicken, spinach, and potatoes, all of which was really cheap from the local markets.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Americans

• Shakespeare
• My internship
• Being on my own

• Housing
• Outline of program fees

The Academic or Linguist