Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Lost in London: A Tale of Self-Discovery Past Review

By (Journalim, University of Connecticut) - abroad from 09/06/2014 to 12/19/2014 with

UCONN: London - UCONN in London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned independence, how to get along with different people, and a lot about the world outside of the U.S. There is a lot to see and so many different cultures and I have gained a thirst to experience new things.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The professor's lead thought provoking discussions in class and assigned homework that provided background and context to the subject matters. Overall I found the academic experience to be excellent.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Director Jill Fenton is incredible! She went above and beyond to make students feel at home and create an environment that balanced our classroom studies with encouraging us to explore England by providing group excursions.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The location was great, the actual accommodations were not great. The utilities broke on a regular basis and maintenance was not always reliable in a timely repair.

* Food:

Camden/Borough Market, excellent!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It is a UConn only program so unfortunately there is little opportunity to meet local students unless you make an initiative on your own. The required placements provide some cultural integration but that does not extent outside of the workplace.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I know that a few of my classmates went to the A & E and had very little issues. It seemed that health issues were handled fairly well.

* Safety:

On a few occasions I found myself without a phone lost in London. People are incredibly friendly, helpful and there are police in most areas. I never once felt concerned or threatened.

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)

I made some stupid mistakes with money at the beginning of my trip that caused me to struggle on a budget for the rest of the semester. However, my roommate spent less in her time abroad than she would have on a meal plan at UConn, so apparently it can be done.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $370
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Markets are cheaper than the grocery store and buy food day by day rather than for the week because the food will go bad and be wasted.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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?
  • The city
  • The Professor's
  • The accessibility to other places
* What could be improved?
  • it would be cool to have more local interaction
  • Maybe a class with a local university
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Airbnb and hostel world are great, cheap, ways to travel. The student ID card they make you sign up for WILL give you discounts. Don't be afraid to do things on your own

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.