Can I go back now? Past Review

By (Public Health, Whitman College) - abroad from 09/01/2015 to 12/19/2015 with

IES Abroad: London & Oxford - Health Practice & Policy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Going abroad was most definitely worthwhile. Not only did I learn a lot about public health, but I learned so much about myself as a person. I learned how to travel on a budget, how to relax and not stress about schoolwork, and how I overcome challenges (like getting miserably lost).

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Awesome location, but the dorm rooms were VERY small and the kitchen was difficult to use.

* Food:

The food in London is unbelievably good, but extremely expensive. I did a lot of cooking for myself in the dorm kitchen, but the kitchen is so small and our fridges are tiny so it made it pretty difficult.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

King's Cross (where the dorm is) is so central that it is extremely easy to go anywhere.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I had never had any prior experience in studying public health so this was a great way to get that exposure in a completely new setting. I learned SO MUCH about public health, and I'm not sure if the public health majors in the program felt challenged enough by the material, but I felt like I learned a lot. The location was also ideal, I fell in love with London and definitely want to go back.

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 EXPENSIVE. I didn't believe it when people said it, but it is so expensive. I spent way more money than expected, but I embraced it and am glad I did.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~$170 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't eat out all the time, try to get a debit card that doesn't have international transaction fees, use cash!!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Location
  • Jamaica
* What could be improved?
  • The workload - I felt like it was too much for study abroad
  • The scheduling for Oxford - it took way too much time to get there and back, especially on a Friday
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? London is expensive. Plan on spending lots of money - save lots over the summer and school year so that you can splurge and travel to a lot of countries!!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.