How I Fell in Love with London Past Review

By Juliana B (Event Management, University of Florida) for

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: London, England

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

Yes, I had never been abroad before and I fell in love with traveling. I don't consider overseas countries to be as daunting as they were before and going out on my own made me realize I have the confidence and ability to even move back over there someday.

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.	The classes and workload were appropriate, there was sufficient work but not enough to overshadow my time in London.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	All of the staff were every helpful and informative. They were constantly letting us know what was going on and any opportunities that were to arise, the weekly emails always told us exactly what we needed to know.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The flat I lived in, Landward on Edgware Road, was pretty run-down. The first few days we arrived there was no hot water and more than once our pipes leaked causing our kitchen to flood and not being able to use the toilets. The staff at Landward did not resolve our problems in a timely manner. Luckily my flatmates became my best friends and we made the best of the situation by making sure we were always out and about exploring the country and not stuck in our flat!
* Food:	One thing London has is variety. There are so many different types of food and restaurants it is hard not to find something that will appeal to everyone. I shopped for groceries mostly at Tesco and Sainsbury to save money. Favorite eating out places included Pret and EAT (great for lunchtime sandwiches), Wagamamas (yummy noodle place), and of course the millions of pubs!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	There is so much to do, there was never a dull moment, you have to really schedule your days to be able to fit everything in! Favorite outings included; The London Tower, Stonehenge and Bath (provided by CAPA), Tea at Harrods, Shopping, seeing a musical at the theatre, riding the London Eye, Kensington Gardens, and just exploring London in general!
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I never felt unsafe. Since it is such a busy city, everywhere is well-lit. Public transportation runs all night. Pharmacists are very helpful in the event you get sick.
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)

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Any student looking for a big city to explore but not wanting a language barrier I recommend London! It has so much diversity and endless possibilities. If you have even considered studying abroad, DO IT! You will never have an experience like this again and it is well worth the money.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Post-War British Popular Culture
Course Department:	ENG395
Instructor:	John Dodson
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	I enjoyed my British Pop Culture class very much. I learned a lot and was able to see a different side of London through the field trips.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Yes, this was a fun class to learn about the city you are living in.

Course Name/Rating:	Learning through Internships: London
Course Department:	GST303
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Although holding my part-time internship while in London was my favorite part of my abroad experience, the actual class that complemented it was not. I felt our assignments were not relative to our internship experience and the faculty that administrated the class were not always in sync, causing many questions to arise that went unanswered. I think allowing students more time to talk and demonstrate what they had learned while interning at various places would have made for a more interesting and productive class.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Yes, if you want international work experience this is a great opporunity. You can see how your field may be different or similiar to America and it will open your eyes to much more. It is a great asset on your resume as well.