If you ever wanted to see it, it's probably here Past Review

By Adrienne P (Theatre Arts, Western Washington University) - abroad from 04/01/2012 to 06/16/2012 with

GEO: London -Study Abroad Programs in London

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

It was definitely worthwhile. Next time I would look for a program that placed us in a British university. I made valuble connections overseas and with my American peers and professors. Our professor's goal was for us to be able to see artwork/artifacts, and benefit from seeing it in person. We saw many things, and I do feel seeing them in person gave me much more information than seeing them in photographs.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Our coursework that involved going places and talking with people was very educational, and felt like unique opportunities. Our lecture time in class did not seem as interesting or meaningful.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	All of AHA's program administrators were excellent. They checked in frequently to make sure we were accounted for and safe, sent us many emails about educational and social opportunities, and always gave updates on our evolving schedules.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Staying with my host family was the best part about my study abroad program. We were with a very kind family who made us feel welcome, and made sure we were very comfortable.
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I felt fairly isolated from my British peers. I would have liked more opportunities to meet and work with other students. My best integration into local culture was with my host family, which was excellent. My other main opportunity to learn about local culture was through my internship. I didn't meet a large number of people through my internship, but the connections I did make were meaningful.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I didn't have any issues come up, so I have no complaints.
* Safety:	I felt very safe in London, especially since we had lots of information about what to do and not do.
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)	Because of the exchange rate, living in London was very expensive. It was still doable. One challenge was that we often had only a small window for luch time, and most of the group would eat at a restaurant, so the people with packed lunches would be left in an awkward place.
* Was housing included in your program cost?	Yes
* Was food included in your program cost?	No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$200 approximately. Half our food was included in the program fees.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans Host Family
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	music history lessons from my host dad going to plays in London (the best was The Master and Marguerita) Travelling to Dartmoor
* What could be improved?	different class planning to reduce uneccesary commute time internship coordination and placement
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had known how important it would be to me later to find ways of meeting people in London. Days/weeks have to be planned very carefully to fit in things to do, because the commute is so long (1 hr 20 min to get from house to class)

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Internship
Course Department:
Instructor:	Brian Parsonage Kelley, Natasha Tobin
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	I had an internship working 3 days a week at a costume hire company in southeast London. This business, Antoinette Hire, was run solely by Brian Parsonage Kelley, and occasionally an intern. I felt underutilized in this internship, and that it was not preparing me for my career in costume design/costume technology after graduation. The best part of my internship was discussing social and political issues with Brian. He was my most valuable lens into British culture. We had a great time, and complimented one another in our skillset and working styles. My main complaint was with how the internships were determined. AHA found us placements based on our resumes and application. I wish I had been more involved in finding myself a placement, and would recommend that other students are in the future. I had asked for a placement that involved sewing costumes. I have the specialized knowledge to do an internship in this area, but was not offered any interviews from our internship coordinator at costume making shops. I found out later that one of the professors in London didn't believe that students of my generation have sewing skills, and that it is a dying art, and recommended against having interns do any sewing. The internship I did helped me understand the challenges of running a small business, and allowed me to try my hand at inventing organizational systems. There are many parts of the theatre industry that are standardized, and consistent from theatre to theatre. My internship did not add to my knowledge of this.
Credit Transfer Issues: