Ithaca College London Centre: An Epic Semestre of wonderful education and travel experiences. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was not too heavy, and in most cases grading was based upon written assignments/essays. We did have some tests, but they were far fewer than writing assignments. The essays were never so long that they were difficult, but long enough to challenge you to do your best. We also used out-of-classroom experiences far more often than I have in the US, which I believe led to a more in depth understanding of the material being presented. It is much more beneficial to actually see the buildings you study in your architecture class, visit Parliament and see laws being made, and see a variety of shows to fully immerse yourself in the London theatre scene.

On-site administration of your program

Bill, the current director of the London Centre knows just about everything about anything you could ever possibly need help with or information on. He shows students London on his famous walks, and gives help with immigration during travels. The rest of the staff is also incredibly helpful. The size of the program is nice because it's small enough that you get to know most of the students and feel like a community, but not so small that it seems exclusive or tiny. The size allows for a variety of courses and people with whom to connect and share experiences. All of my expectations were not only met, but exceeded. The London Centre staff is amazing, the professors are the best, and I would recommend the program to anyone and everyone who is at all interested in study abroad, especially if they are anxious about language barriers.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our flat hunt went fairly easily, and we found a decent, if small, flat for a decent price in a nice residential neighborhood in the West Kensington area. The neighborhood was very safe, we never felt at risk, even walking alone at night. There was a lovely park across the street, and the many small gardens in front of the houses made for a beautiful experience. We were a mere two Underground stops from the London Centre, and nightlife was easy to get to, in both Earl's Court and the Piccadilly/Leicester area. We did not need to purchase housewares.

At first, when you go into some restaurants (unless you head for a fancy or American one) the food seems plain. However, some local dishes, such as fish and chips are delicious and in no short supply. There were gluten free, dairy free, kosher, and other options in most grocery stores, but I did not see many in restaurants, although I didn't really look, as I do not have any dietary restrictions. The quality of food, I think, is as good if not better than American food. Most products have less (or a complete lack of) preservatives, which makes the food taste better but also spoil more quickly. When grocery shopping, buy only a few days worth of perishables at a time, or check the dates. For example, buy a small container of milk if it's just one person drinking it. It will magically turn to cottage cheese by the end of the week. Other than that, the food is fresher and less expensive (assuming you go to the right place) than American food. I suggest shopping at Tesco or Sainsbury's if you are on a budget, or simply want to spend less than $100 (about 60 pounds) on food per week. Another thing is to bring your passport if you want alcohol when you dine out- some pubs will not accept American/non British ID if it's not a passport. You don't want to be that guy who has to leave the pub because he doesn't have proper ID. If you travel to Scotland, try deep fried Mars Bars. Also, Haggis isn't gross at all! It looks like ground beef and tastes delicious

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

the London Centre arranges great trips - you should go on all of them, if you can! A must-do is the Edinburgh trip, especially the Ceilidh (pronounced like Kaylee), a traditional Scottish dance that was quite possibly the highlight of my semester.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We had mandatory health care plans, and London hospitals will give free emergency care to anyone. Healthcare is very easily accessible, and the ICLC staff were more than happy to help. We did not need any vaccines to enter the country

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

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Americans