London is the best place in the world for Western theatre October 13, 2022

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/26/2022 to 05/10/2022 with

Sarah Lawrence College: London - London Theatre Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Yes, it was very worthwhile. I gained an appreciation for Shakespeare, Caryl Churchill, and Congreve. I'm a much better actor for it! Also masterclasses and Q&As with famous actors were amazing

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.

We took a great variety of courses by amazing professors

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I personally enjoyed my living arrangement, but I know that others had issues with water pressure and even mushrooms growing in their flats

* Food:

No meal plan, so I cooked which was a good experience for me

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We spent a lot of time in classes and rehearsals so there wasn't a lot of time to integrate with local culture and everyone was an American student. However I did get cast in a London South Bank University student film where I got to interact with British peers.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The program had us get GeoBlue which was a good insurance and I used it a lot because I had several health issues pop up during my time abroad.

* Safety:

Pretty safe, London is a city but it's pretty spread out so not as overwhelming as New York.

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

Learned a lot, enjoyed living in London, enjoyed the people I learned from and learned with.

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)

Things were pretty expensive but I tried not to eat out a lot and cooked a lot of pasta

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $80
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook, don't eat out because food in London is expensive

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* 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?
  • Leo Wringer's Shakespeare Class
  • Living in London
  • Seeing shows every week
* What could be improved?
  • Mental health support/student support
  • More performances for the final shows
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? British people are very punctual and expect you to be as well!

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!