The experience of a lifetime! Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., Brigham Young University) - abroad from 09/15/2012 to 12/14/2012 with

Brigham Young University: London - London Study Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I grew in maturity quite a bit. I also learned how to get along in very close proximity with a lot of people who I never would have met otherwise. I learned how to travel well and I gained a lot of insight into the lives of the locals in London.

Review Photos

Brigham Young University: London - London Study Abroad Photo Brigham Young University: London - London Study Abroad Photo Brigham Young University: London - London Study Abroad Photo Brigham Young University: London - London Study Abroad Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Very interesting courses and assignments.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt very safe in London, but I would advise future students to keep close watch on their belongings, just in case pickpockets are around, and especially when using public transportation or visiting especially popular tourist attractions

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 a very expensive city, and I found myself spending up to $200 a week solely on transportation and meals on the weekends. Towards the end of the program I was able to spend my money more carefully, but it was challenging.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150-$200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Buy groceries for yourself each week and try to make your own lunches every day. On the weekends when meals aren't provided, pack your own food to try and avoid eating out. It's too expensive otherwise.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We only had a foreign language component because we traveled in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands for 3 weeks at the start of the program. So we had to try and learn a little bit of French to try and ease the language barrier while we were in France. Our directors were well aware of the fact that none of us had expected to speak French on our London Study Abroad, but they did their best to encourage us and taught us a few phrases to help us out.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* 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?
  • Traveling
  • Making friends
  • Seeing the city
* What could be improved?
  • Interactions with local students (we had none)
  • Our class schedule really detracted from our time each day and it was a challenge to see the city when we only had 4 hours a day to go out. I would rather have had all the classes early in the morning so that we could have more time to see the city.
  • Meals weren't provided on Saturdays which was a struggle because food is extremely expensive and I ending up spending most of my money on food and transportation during the program.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known just how expensive London is. The exchange rate fluctuates fairly often, but everything was nearly twice as expensive there as it would be in the USA, and because of that I felt like my experiences were limited, and there were very few shows and experiences in the actual city of London that were covered by the program. I had to pay for everything I wanted to do in London.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'