Past Review

By Devin T (English/Classics, Tufts University) for

Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I've grown a lot. I've gotten better at putting my life in perspective (getting angry less), have creatively flourished, and have expanded my mind. It's cliche, yes, but it's true. Also, I had a ton of fun. I've said it over and over: best year of my life.

Personal Information

The term and year this program took place:	Full-Year 2008

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Reading around the time period let me get around to things I always intended to read and I didn't feel constricted by a syllabus, but I would have liked more discussion and less lectures. The lectures also tended to be rather pointless.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Jaki was one of the nicest, most helpful, most organised people I have ever met. She was such a valuable resource. Her assistant Ian was helpful as well and both were always easy and available to talk to.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Rather large single with a shared kitchen. John Tovell House. <br /><br /> Right across the street from campus and very close to multiple pubs and shops. Large. Only problem was that we lived with freshers who never cleaned up after themselves, but that's not the program's fault.
* Food:	Got a living stipend and the rest was up to us. Perfect. I could save up cash and live off pasta or go to Borough Market and get some delicious gourmet cheeses and such. I like that I had the choice.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Best year of my life. Made amazing friends, love London as a city (from the theater to the pubs to, yes, the food), and got to travel around England and Europe (even got to Morocco!).
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Jaki always did everything she could to ensure we were in good health/staying safe.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

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?	$250
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	You can live pretty cheaply off Sainsbury's/Tesco's and certain pubs. But I do like to go out and travel, so I probably spent a bit more than I should. However, the weekly stipend and what I saved up covered it all.

Language

Language acquisition improvement?	I now speak with a Manchester accent, use terms like "Oi!" and "Mint," and spell "colour" and "realise" like this.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	What are you waiting for? DO IT. You get to live in London at a real British school for a year. You meet amazing people, see amazing things, and do so much more than you ever would in a year in the states.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Chaucer and his Literary Background
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Mixed
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Chaucer's a bit boring, all the lectures were pointless, and the final exam was 6 hours long. The seminars, however, were interesting and engaging, and I do like the concept of the course and having to have papers not only about Chaucer, but his sources.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Transferred Easily

Course Name/Rating:	Greek Philosophy to Aristotle
Course Department:	Philosophy
Instructor:	Mixed
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Both philosophy courses were taught in four quarters, with a different lecturer each quarter. First one (Plato's forms) was interesting, since he took Plato down a notch, and the final one (Aristotle) was AMAZING. He made Aristotle funny and accessible. The middle two (Pre-Socratics and Plato's republic) were boring and obtuse.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Modern Literature II
Course Department:	English
Instructor:	Mixed
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Lectures had a bit more point than Chaucer, but were still often pointless and boring. The reading was interesting and studying for the final got me to read a lot around the time period and read books I always tended to read but never did (and watch a ton of Hitchcock). My first seminar with Dart was PHENOMENAL, the second one was okay...I hated Philip Roth, who took up half the seminar. The final was kinda not real. I did a ton of studying and ended up mostly referring to works I had read years ago.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Nope

Course Name/Rating:	Philosophy of Psychology
Course Department:	Philosophy
Instructor:	Mixed
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Both philosophy courses were taught in four quarters, with a different lecturer each quarter. First one about mapping the mind was HORRIBLE (no one in the class understood any of it), as was the fourth one about evolutionary psychology. The middle two about Freud and linguistics were awesome. Especially the linguistics one. That prof was amazing.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Nope