London: Living and Loving It! Past Review
By Brianna B (Theatre Arts, Rollins College) for
Rollins College: London - London Internship Program
I would say so! I have had so many fun and interesting experiences and have met some great and interesting people that I probably would not have met unless I came here on an internship/study abroad program. I have made friends and contacts that I hope will last a lifetime.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Queen Mary |
| 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 ability to look beneath the surface of a film or a Shakespeare play text and to analyze it has increased. I know how the British education system works, and I do find myself liking it. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They could sometimes be a little scatter-brained and unorganized, but they were willing to help us out whenever we had a problem. The homework we were given would sometimes seem irrelevant or would be confusing as well. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
it was a nice flat, but the tv would not work most of the time, and the washer would sometimes not drain out completely. |
| * Food: |
I enjoy eating all kinds of food, and London is the perfect place to find a wide range of food places. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Pedestrians don't have the right of way. Be careful when crossing the streets! Keep hand sanitizer with you at all times! |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | depending on what I wanted to eat between 20 and 50 pounds. If you want to save money for theatre or whatever, look for the bargains, like 3 for 5 pound dinners, or the decrease in price deals- those are always nice. Either shop at Sainsburys or Tesco. Those will be your cheapest places for most items. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Spend wisely. Don't splurge on items all the time. A definite expense I was not ready for was the amount of water I needed to buy every week, and the fact that the water was in in gallon jugs did make things a little odd for me at first. Bring a water bottle or two or buy them when you arrive. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be open to new people, experiences, and possibilities. You will grow as a person in a study abroad experience, I guarantee it. |
