Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Millsaps Study Abroad: Worth It. London - International Investigation Program Past Review

By (Business Administration, Millsaps College) - abroad from 07/07/2012 to 07/21/2012 with

Millsaps College: Summer 2012 Faculty-led Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned about how the art world functions and about money laundering and counterfeiting. I went to Scotland by myself and it was my first time truly on my own abroad...it was the highlight of my trip. I got closer to people in my grad program and had so much fun.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Co-ed showers took some getting used to, but aside from that, we had a great location!

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It's harder to make friends as an individual with strangers abroad since "Taken." But we met some cool people as a group.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues, but I know the kids who did were well taken care of.

* Safety:

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)

It takes some getting used to... I should have priced my necessities before going to England. But it's definitely not impossible

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Probably $150 to $200 on food, alcohol, transportation, tickets, and souveniers
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Buy lots of duty-free alcohol. Tesco lowers the prices of its food as the food goes stale, so a 3 pound sandwich could be an 88 pence sandwich tomorrow. Sometimes immigrant delis have better food than the pubs or grocery stores in London (an Italian deli offers a huge, fresh, handmade sandwich at 3 pounds 25 pence, and a blander Tesco sandwich and a drink are three pounds)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Getting close to new friends
  • Exploring the city
* What could be improved?
  • It was hard, because we didn't have phones, to have a central hangout or meetup place in the dorm we stayed in. At another study abroad, the hotel bar served as our living room.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You're going to run out of pajamas because there's no A/C in the dorms. So you sweat in your sleep. A lot.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.