London: beautiful city, not-so-charming citizens Past Review
By Kristina R (Psychology/ International Studies, Hope College) for
CIEE: London - Arts + Sciences (University College London)
Yes and no. I learned a lot, but the process was hard and the locals were not very welcoming.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I had to do an insane amount of reading for each course. I spent much less time in lectures, and spent a lot more time doing independent study/ reading. I did not have assignments due on a regular basis, only one exam at the end of the course. The instructors were much less involved in my learning than I am accustomed to, and they did not get to know the students. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I liked the trips that the program organized. The sporting events were very fun, and the weekend trip to Scotland was great. I feel that they could have done a better job if the monthly meetings did not include mandatory activities, but were rather discussion-based where we could talk about our struggles along the way, and where we could get advice. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had to buy everything to furnish my flat, which turned out to be very expensive. The flats were very inconvenient. The rooms were small, the kitchen was too small for the amount of people that lived there, and there was no living room to hang out in. However, it was only a 5-10 minute walk to campus buildings, which was very inconvenient. |
| * Food: |
The food was very good, both at the grocery store and in restaurants. Especially the Indian food. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The soccer and rugby games were fun, as well as the trip to Scotland. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
The city seemed pretty safe. I did not experience any problems, but a friend's apartment was robbed. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
|
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) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about $75 on groceries, $20 on transportation, and $20 on night life |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | none |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
