London Changed My Life Forever! Past Review
By Katherine Whitehead (University of Westminster) - abroad from 07/08/2017 to 08/29/2017 with
ISA Study Abroad in London, England
I learned how to be independent and trust in myself. I feel like I can travel the world alone and be capable enough to handle it. My study abroad experience was definitely worth while.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
British professors at my university expected us to be completely independent and able to do assignments on our own. Much of the work was done outside of class (it was a multimedia journalism course). It wasn't difficult but you did have a lot of work. My best advice is, keep up, do the work, plan accordingly so you don't fall behind because there were A LOT of assignments. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with three other girls in a beautiful two-bedroom flat in Notting Hill (where the movie was filmed). It was absolutely GORGEOUS and the location was convenient to get to campus in about 30 minutes via tube/metropolitan. Only downside was there was no air conditioner except for a fan in the corner of the room but this is true for most of England as most places don't have air conditioning. |
| * Food: |
We had to buy all our own groceries and food other than the ISA welcome meal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because of the commuting and where we lived in Notting Hill, you basically have to dive head first into the local culture. London culture and the people are great so don't be afraid to get out and meet the locals and skip some of the touristy places for smaller restaurants/museums/entertainment venues. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never had any problems with feeling unsafe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would do my ISA London program again and again and again. It was the best experience of my life! |
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) |
It was difficult to live on a student's budget. I tried to be aware of how much I was spending and chose to spend money on traveling and food instead of clubbing and partying like a lot of other students in my program did. Also, shopping locally at markets like Portobello Road Market, Borough Market, etc. helps to save a lot of money. A lot of places also give student discounts. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $400 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You can usually negotiate prices at markets like Portobello Road Market. Also be aware of the currency exchange rate as you are buying things while studying abroad. Sometimes things seemed cheaper to me because it was in pounds and not dollars so I would forget that I wasn't paying in USD and get carried away with buying things. There are several good apps to download for currency conversion. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would have known how much money I would spend weekly. I spent a lot more than I thought I would. |
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 BlazerCraving 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.' |
