Incredible Past Review
By Cassie V (English Rhetoric/Writing, University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 01/14/2014 to 05/31/2014 with
UW-Platteville Education Abroad at St Mary's University (SMU)
I gained a lot of personal things such as confidence and independence and a sense of diversity. It's hard to explain how my mind works differently than it did before, but it does and there are a lot of internal changes that made coming home a bit of a culture shock.
Review Photos
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. |
|
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
|
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The kitchens in De Marillac don't include an oven or a stove, so cooking food was limited to a microwave. Also, there is limited fridge space in any given kitchen, but then again, there are multiple kitchens within the dorm I stayed in. But people tend to take what isn't theirs sometimes. |
| * Food: |
SMU offers a meal plan where, on weekdays, you may eat in the refectory twice-- once for breakfast and then for dinner. But it's a point system and I often felt like I wasn't given enough to eat for breakfast on weekdays because of the meal plan and I'd end up paying out of pocket for more food. Expenses for food add up because the meal plan sometimes isn't enough. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
SMU offered many opportunities to get involved with the community and it was a blast! Don't miss out, especially on Wednesday wristband nights to McClusky's Kingston Nightclub! |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Luckily, I didn't experience any health issues other than a simple cold. So, I didn't acquaint myself with the program's healthcare system. |
| * Safety: |
As long as you keep your belongings close, you'll be fine. I encourage you, though, to take care when it comes to taxi cabs. Minicab is an uncomfortable experience. |
| 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) |
London is an expensive city and so whatever you'd spend on things in the US, double that price. Transportation and food were what I spend a lot of money on. Then there's the luxury of traveling, which was cheaper to do from there, but still. Be prepared to spend a lot of money if you want to do things. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Honestly, too much. Can't give you an estimate, though. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | In regard to having an Oyster Card, when you top it up, start with 40 pounds. If you top up a little at a time, you'll end up spending more money on transportation than if you were to put a larger amount on the card. And if you want to make a day of trains and the tube, get a day pass. It'll save you some money if you just get a pass from time to time. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I had expected to make really great friends with the locals, but the thing about it is-- I made friends with the people that were studying abroad at SMU with me. We were going through similar experiences and so we kind of stuck together. The locals were nice and I got along with them, but they weren't interested in traveling to the places I hadn't been because they had been there. I only studied in London for one semester, though. So, if I had had more time-- maybe I'd've made more lasting relationships with the locals than I did. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
