Unbelievably amazing experience!!! Past Review

By (History, Wesleyan University) - abroad from 09/12/2017 to 12/16/2018 with

IFSA: London - Queen Mary, University of London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that being open and receptive to new experiences, and fighting against the urge to be closed off when faced with an unfamiliar situation, is the best thing that any student - or human being - can do for themselves.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were certainly challenging, but professors provided enough support that made the workload manageable and worthwhile.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There were mentors who offered support and made campus visits to check-in with students who were studying at QMUL.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Having my own bathroom was awesome! Living with first-years was great because we were all new to the QMUL climate. I lived with a good mix of students in the U.S. but also from around the world.

* Food:

Did not eat much on campus, but the surrounding area (Mile End) was full of amazing food options.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Through opportunities with IFSA-Butler, Queen Mary, and by way of my own exploration, I was able to integrate easily and in various exciting ways with the local culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt safe. Important: always keep note of where your items are on your person when you are walking around. If traveling at night, it's safest to be with another person; however, if traveling alone, it's good to just stay aware and keep a charged device for communication!!!

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 no capacity cheap. Keeping a strict budget was very necessary for me, especially because I was coming into the study abroad experience as a student from a low-income background.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Laundry - 10 pounds a week. Phone - 15 pounds a month. Transport - ~ 10 pounds a week. Books and supplies - ~ 10 pounds for notebooks. Entertainment - 20 pounds a week. Cooked mostly and spend ~20 pounds a week on groceries
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Budget ahead of time! Not when you start to run out of money!

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The friends I met
  • The access to cool entertainment through the program
  • The consistent contact between the program advisors and students
* What could be improved?
  • Organization of IFSA-Butler Lake District Weekend
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How much free time I would have

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.