An Unforgettable Experience! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Overall the courses were interesting and challenging. The administration and professors were very supportive and engaging. However, the program was not able to offer the Oxford class at the last minute so I ended up taking classes at City University of London. This turned out to be just around the corner from my housing assignment and the course included some very interesting aspects. I really ended up enjoying this course and it allowed me to have Friday off to travel.

On-site administration of your program

The administration was very supportive in making sure I was acclimated to living abroad. They constantly kept in touch and responded to emails quickly. They made sure we met up for dinner or tea a couple times during the semester and they also hosted clubs and events around town.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartment I lived in was right in the heart of London. It was the ideal location for getting around the city by tube or walking. The housing had all the amenities and I always felt safe there. The roommate situation was not ideal because I am so used to living on my own, however it was a great way to make friends and I learned a lot about myself. I had a great view of the city from my room and the program made sure I had everything I needed, and if I didn't there was a shopping tour on the first day that helped me to get everything.

While my program did not provide food, my housing was located in the perfect location so that grocery stores and restaurants were easily accessible. The food during the part of the program while I was in Jamaica was amazing.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The housing assignment really helped me to feel integrated with the local culture because it was in a great location and it was only for students studying in London. This allowed me to meet a lot of local people and people from all over the world. Also my outside university allowed me to meet more local people. In Jamaica, we stayed in a house in the community which really helped to integrate me into the culture. Just walking on the campus and meeting students and professors helped me to feel welcomed and exposed me to the culture of Jamaica.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Luckily, I did not have any health issues, but my roommate did and from my perspective, the administration was very helpful. The administrator that lived in our building took her to the hospital and stayed with her until she got home. At one point, I caught a small cold and an administrator offered to make a doctor appointment for me and to go with me, but I was able to easily take care of it with cold medication from the pharmacist.

During orientation, there was a briefing on safety by a police officer who told us about the most common crimes and how to avoid being a target. This was very useful because it made me more aware of my actions and it gave me more information on who to contact if something did go wrong. Also, one of the administrators lived in the same apartment complex me, so there was always someone available. While I was in London, there were a few small bombings including one on the tube and violent protests, but the program has a very specific and strict protocol for locating each person and ensuring our safety and they communicated with my parents that I was safe. In Jamaica, we were chaperoned everywhere and I felt very safe because one of our professors/chaperones is a native Jamaican.

The IES program was so supportive and they really worked hard to create an inclusive living and learning environment. While there were some small things that could be improved, the people were really what made the program the best experience of my life.

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

London is a very expensive city therefore the cost of food and personal expenses were very high in my opinion. Some would say it is comparable to New York prices or even a little higher. However, coming from Texas, I found the cost of living hard to manage. My program was constantly sending out emails with deals and I tried to cook dinner as much as possible.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans

• Location of Housing
• Field Trips and events
• Volunteering in London and Jamaica

• Oxford course

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