"There is in London all that life can afford" Past Review
By katherine m (Elementary Education, CUNY - College of Staten Island) - abroad from 07/02/2012 to 08/08/2012 with
Middlesex University: London - Summer School
Living in London was like stepping through the pages of history. I was in love with the city of London before my plane even landed. The history and culture of this exciting and vibrant city was brought to life for me as I explored the city. The mix of modern and history is truly thrilling, and to be able to view the city as a student and writer was amazing. London is a city that breathes life and I am lucky to have been apart of it.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
My class was 8 days of my entire 5 week program, this gave me plenty of free time to explore the city. My class required a lot of reading, but the reading all related to the city of London that we would tour as a class. I was able to incorporate the fantasy of London into my own creative writing that my class focused on developing. The grading was strict, but I had an amazing time learning about London through a more creative lens. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Middlesex Program administration was amazing. There were so many planned activities, guided tours, and day trips planned throughout the program for study abroad student to participate in. These activities were meant to help students discover the city of London and England at large. They gave students the chance to explore London with an expert and learn something new about the city. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Trent Park campus was incredibly beautiful, I felt like I was in pride and prejudice. The campus was built on the historic hunting grounds of Henry VIII. I live din a single dorm, with shared bathrooms and kitchens. The campus was located on the Piccadilly line that went directly into central London. |
| * Food: |
I am a picky eater and I did not really like British food. Living in a city like London it was not hard to find a large variety of food that was more to my taste. I had no trouble finding restaurants and grocery stores were I could eat anything from pizza to tacos. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
By the time I left London I knew how to get to every part of the city by the Tube. I was able to walk around the London streets without getting lost, and I was able to direct other people around the city. I was emerged in the culture of England, as I visited its most famous historical sights. I learned so much about England as a historical place and as a modern metropolis. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no issues with health while on this program. |
| * Safety: |
I felt completely safe in London. I was comfortable traveling on the trains and walking around the city alone. There was no reason for me to feel unsafe as I explored the city on my own. My school had a shuttle running from the Piccadilly line to the dorm rooms, so I didn't have to walk if I returned late at night. |
| 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) |
I had saved up specifically to have money to spend on food, travel, and souvenirs. I was able to travel a lot on my trip and buy plenty of souvenirs to remember my trip by. London is an expensive city to live in but by saving up I was able to make the most of my experience. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150.00-$200.00 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | When traveling abroad take money out in larger bulks from a checking account so that you are charged the fee once, rather then multiple times. This can save you a lot of money in fees. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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 knew to bring a heavier jacket because there was a lot of rain so it could get chilly when walking around the city. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
CMW3013 Fantastic London |
| Course Department: | English |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This class allowed me to explore London with the point of view of a creative writer. As a class we read and discussed texts that took place in London and we then would explore the exact sights that were mentioned in our texts. I was then able to develop my own creative writing piece, as an assignment, that took place in London. It was thrilling to explore the cities different sights and then apply them into my own writing. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I had no issues receiving the 4 transfer credits that I had earned from this program. |
