Getting Lost in London (and discovering a home there) Past Review
By elise.massicotte.1 (Cello Performance, Lawrence University) - abroad from 09/25/2013 to 12/08/2013 with
FIE (Foundation for International Education): London - Study and Intern Program
I gained so much independence and self-reliance. It was also incredibly lonely and stressful; for at least the first 5 weeks I was absolutely miserable. However, I learned that the only way to get past being miserable was to accept it and move on, push myself to new levels, and always always always poke my nose into places I'm curious about.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics were not too difficult for me, but I was very thankful for that; it gave me more time to explore London! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful- they helped me plan trips and figure out where I wanted to go and also helped me feel more emotionally stable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Pretty far away from class in Foundation House! However, the location was tons of fun, the rooms were very well-equipped. Overall, a great place to live. |
| * Food: |
It was heavy food, but the bad rep that England gets for its food is all wrong! I loved fish and chips, bangers and mash, and all the various meat pies and veggies. I never felt like I wasn't getting quality food. Now, if you don't like meat or gluten, don't go to London. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was living there and I had no friends in my program to begin with, so I had no other choice but to go out and get into the culture. However, I would have appreciated more help connecting with Londoners my own age. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Didn't have any problems with health. No vaccines needed. If there was a problem, you did what every other Londoner had to- call a million times until you get an appointment with a doctor. |
| * Safety: |
I almost always felt safe. Occasionally I would feel a little uneasy, but mostly if you go places that have lots of people and use common sense everything will be fine. Sometimes when I was on the tube platform alone it was a little uncomfortable, but nothing ever happened. London is incredibly safe for a city of its size. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
This is LONDON we're talking about- one of the most expensive places to live in the world. So yeah, it was expensive. I was told to bring 2,000 and that would be enough, but I ended up spending more like 5,000 total. The exchange rate is killer, and I didn't exactly splurge- I never went over to the mainland, but I did take the train everywhere in the UK. The train is a decent price, but it can get expensive; I love trains so I thought the cost was worth the comfort and ease of travel. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Depends on the week, where I was going that weekend. I'd say anywhere between 150 USD and 500 USD |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Know your priorities before you get too far into the program so you can save your money for those. I decided that I was going to focus my travels to the UK in order to get to know the UK even better, and I was so glad that I did, but it didn't necessarily save me money. Flying is sometimes the cheapest option- that and buses. Trains are wonderful and they are well worth the decent price. Pubs are a money suck. Also, the London Eye is a waste of 20 pounds! You can get better views for free. So many of the museums are free in London because London is awesome- check their website before you go to figure out the prices. There are also museums for everything there, and like a gajillion art museums. Don't be stupid with your money, but also let yourself spend on you! This is your experience and having a horrible time b/c you won't spend money is a terrible waste. Don't be afraid of a little spending! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I had known how difficult it would be to meet people my own age. Also I wish I had gotten sturdier boots. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
