Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

London: What Dreams Are Made Of :) Past Review

By (Television-Radio Production, Ithaca College) for

Ithaca College: London - Ithaca College London Center

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I had the best time ever while studying abroad in London. It literally transformed my life in an incredibly good way, and I will never be the same as a result. I met amazing people, did things I never thought I would do, ate things I never in a million years would have imagined I'd eat and came away from it with so many unique experiences and stories to tell. I learned a ton about the culture and history of 12 different countries (my roommates and I did a lot of traveling) as well as the quirky differences between American English and British English. After my semester abroad, I am very interested in studying abroad again for grad school. I find travel and cultural differences addicting-ly interesting and I never want to stop!

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.

I really enjoyed my professors and thought the workload was sufficient. The topics were interesting and pertained to both, the subject matter and the foreign experience. I also enjoyed the opportunities presented to me to travel and see things I would not have otherwise been able to see.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I think all of the faculty involved were extremely well-informed of each place we visited and were very helpful with any questions we had. They were also friendly and made themselves available to us.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I met a group of students who had already planned on living together in Scotland and joined their group. We found a flat in Paddington. The only real complaint I would have is that it ended up infested with mice, cockroaches, and other bugs. Other than that our landlord was super nice and was quick to solve any problems that we encountered. The flat was also fully equipped with furniture, dishes, and it even had towels.

* Food:

I recommend Tesco or Iceland for all your shopping needs. Both are well-equipped with sales and cheap (but good quality) foods. I would also recommend any local pubs, not chain restaurants.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There were plenty of opportunities provided by the Ithaca College London Centre for us to get out and experience the culture and see beautiful sights while getting a historical background.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I found London to be a very safe place. In fact, I felt safer walking around alone in the city than I do in my own small hometown of 22 years. And no, I did not need any special vaccinations prior to my arrival in London.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I probably spent $30 or less per week on food and personal expenses.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Spend as much as you have. I spent all my savings and feel like it was completely worth every penny.

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

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The ability to travel around Europe (and to Africa) cheaply.
  • The learning opportunities available through experience that you can't get from a text book.
  • The abundance of entertainment to be found in London.
* What could be improved?
  • Cheaper programme.
  • That's it.
  • Longer programme.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself and don't let money hold you back. Live it up, because really, how many times are you going to be in a foreign country in your twenties?