A Most Enjoyable Independent Life full of Struggle and Adventure Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/09/2016 to 06/02/2016 with
King's College London: London - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned a lot about race and postcolonial consequences for Britain as a nation that has conquered and is now, like the United States, diverse in population. I learned a lot about and enjoyed British culture, such as going to the pub with my newly made lads and enjoying high tea. The food and fun in London was incredible. I had an incredible, memorable experience.
Review Photos
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 rigorous, challenged me a lot, whether it was in assigned readings or in lectures, but mostly during class discussion sessions. The readings were very complex and I learned a great many things from them. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I am actually quite disappointed with the administration of this program. I applied for 10 out of the 12 maximum possible courses at the deadline to prepare for the courses I would take while abroad (the institution would pick 4 out of those that I had selected, or it was supposed to...). What ended up happening was that I was only in 2 courses when I came to King's, and was suddenly told I needed to select another 2 courses in the orientation week before the term was to begin. This was incredibly hectic, and I was unable to get courses I could utilize for my major program at my home institution. This, coupled along with the fact that it was nigh impossible to receive a prompt answer from the Study Abroad Programme Office unless I walked over a half hour from my accommodations to the Office to directly speak with someone there. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Nice, clean, and a fair distance from my courses. It was only around a half hour or so of a walk, and it was quite refreshing in the morning to walk across Waterloo Bridge to get to classes at Strand campus (where all my courses were). It is also very close to transportation (Jubilee line from Southwark Station, other lines from Waterloo station; buses). Food from this area is noticeably cheaper than if you had gone closer to Central London. On a side note: I hated my flatmates from the bottom of my heart. They are the worst human beings I have ever encountered in my life. They made flat living harder than it needed to be for me during my stay there. |
| * Food: |
There were no dining halls? At least not within the accommodation areas, which is far different than United States' institutions. And the food provided within the academic buildings are very so-so and not worth the expense. It is far more worth it to go grab a bite from places nearby the academic buildings, such as Borough Market if you are on Guy's campus, and in places around Waterloo and Strand campus. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I feel pretty well integrated as I made many British friends and would go out with them to the pub every so often. Finally learned how to bant properly and to get cheeky at Nando's. Peri-peri salt and tea-time are my favorites! I;ve learned many new and fun phrases and how to be pushy on the Tube during rush hour. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The institution handled the issues I had with health that affected my ability to turn in work on time the same way my home institution does: with the stressful exchange of multiple emails. I've had to contact everyone in King's even now, and it is currently September. |
| * Safety: |
London is very safe. I don't know if this is just me, but I felt okay walking around at night around my dormitory area, but never too far. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I like King's College London a lot, despite all the issues I've had with the Study Abroad Office and administration at large. I feel that both my home institution and King's could've reached out to me at least once during my time there to check in on how I was faring. Otherwise, the departments at King's are top notch and I've learned a lot more than I had initially expected from wonderful professors and teaching assistants. I met the best mates ever and had lots of fun times learning about British culture and life, and spent most of my time outside my room since London and beyond were so exciting! (Also because my five flatmates were the worst human beings I had ever encountered.) |
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) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 a week or so |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try not to eat out too often, ask your friends or flatmates often to borrow things. Sign up for an NUS card or always ask if there is a student discount and show your UK ID card. Shop in places like The Cooperative and Tesco Express rather than Sainsbury's and little Waitrose. Always sign up for student discounts! My favorite was the student discount at the Prince Charles Cinema since I enjoyed watching movies often. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I learned how to be incredibly independent, but also when to reach out and socialize. I also learned a great deal of patience when dealing with King's administration, my flatmates, and rude Brits when getting onto the Tube or when saying an Asian language at me or some sort of similar situation. |
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.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Post-Colonial Political Theory |
| Course Department: | Political Theory |
| Instructor: | Dr. Humeira Iqtidar |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was the most challenging course I've ever taken in my career as a university student, and I am immensely grateful for it and for my professor. It was always held in the same room, but the professor recommended us to lectures and films related to the topics studied in the course. I was compelled to participate far more than I would have at my home institution and to break through my shyness as the professor would frequently encourage people to draw from the readings in order to push the class forward. The two papers assigned were very straightforward and to the point, and the professor was always available for questions. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No issues whatsoever. I'm still having issues transferring credits from other courses, but not this one! This professor is really on top of everything and is incredibly resourceful and helpful. |
