London: Baller Past Review
By Raj S (Marketing., Trinity University) for
Arcadia: London - City, University of London
My abroad experience did little for me from an "academic" stand point. That is not to say I didn't learn, though. An amalgamation of immersion and traveling and chaos led to an eventual appreciation for the variety of lifestyles and broadness of culture. Every experience I had was a learning experience and I took away something memorable no matter where I went.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
A weakness of the university is that much of the content does not apply much theory. Applicable theory is integral in a learning environment; however, for an abroad experience the lack of theory made my experience of immersion easier and much more exciting. The teaching format was all lecture (a lot of interactivity between students/faculty). Workload varied from class to class but, for the most part, the workload was pretty manageable (for being abroad). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My experience was more about independence and doing my own thing. Arcadia did a good job in getting us settled and an even better job of letting us loose once we were all settled in after the first few weeks. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great housing, beautiful flat that many students at the attending university would kill for. In England, it is rare to come across a large apartment with a bedroom, kitchen, dining area, and a full bathroom. Many things were there for us such as cookware, dinnerware, silverware, etc, along with weekly cleaning services. Walking distance (4 min) from school and >10 minutes from the closest tube stop (Angel/Old St). Downside is this option was only available because the university housing filled up, so not sure how available this will be to future students. |
| * Food: |
The student union always had cheap and delicious food. I didn't eat on campus much but there were several delicious places to eat in Islington. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
London is a beautiful place to be with rich history and diversity. Anywhere you go you are usually standing in awe at the things London has to offer. The night life is impeccable and the attractions are worth it. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The biggest problem in London (or so my program said) is petty theft. Guns aren't a huge issue but apparently knives can cause problems. I was never the center of any altercations and I felt pretty safe even walking around alone at 4 in the morning. |
| 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? | I think, on average, I spent anywhere between 500-900 USD a month (depending on how much I traveled). This didn't include rent - mostly food, traveling and lodging, night life, etc. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I was informed of this, but didn't take it to hear until late: GBP is way stronger than the USD so when you spend... don't get caught up converting from one to the other. There is nothing you can do and it just causes stress. My philosophy toward the latter end of my experience was this : Spend on what you think will add value to your experience. |
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?
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* Who did you live with?
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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? | The Arcadia/London experience was great. Arcadia actually gave way to the city to make my experience more independent rather than govern my lifestyle. My advice to future students is to not settle in over time. Figure out your city, figure out the culture, and understand as much as you can as early as you can - by the end you will be so immersed and attached to the city that you won't want to leave. My only complaint is that I didn't stay longer. |
