Unforgettable England/London Adventure! Past Review

By (Drama, Theatre Arts, University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 01/13/2015 to 05/29/2015 with

UW-Platteville Education Abroad at St Mary's University (SMU)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned independence and how to fend for myself. I know I am able to make decisions on my own because I did it abroad, especially travelling to other countries via air plane alone.

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.

Beautiful school, nice community, and just a short train ride to central London. Classes are generally less intensive abroad than I am used to here in the states, but that gives you more time to see the area and spend time in London.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Dorms are decent considering you get a room and a bathroom to yourself.

* Food:

Lets face it, school food is never really that good no matter where you are.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had issues, but the people who did weren't given much help on campus because they were abroad students. They were forced to get a cab on their own and go to the nearest emergency room when all they needed was a brief check up.

* Safety:

One of the safest areas in the grander London area.

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)

If one stuck to the basic school food you could easily not spend very much at all, but after a few weeks, the food wasn't satisfying enough. Then because you are on a point system and can only use those points at certain times of the day, many including myself ended up defaulting on buying more (better tasting) food.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Maybe $100 or more a week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Find the nearest Poundland for snack foods. It's like a dollar store, but the pound (obviously). Stock up your room with foods that will last a couple days. Refrigeration isn't a very appealing option in the dorms so apples or nuts. Things that you can grab when you are hungry and it's not a "meal" time.

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

  • N/A
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local 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?
  • Location
  • Friendly faculty
  • Fun classes
* What could be improved?
  • FOOD (not much can be done... I know)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Time goes by faster than you think. If you want to do things, plan them and do them. Don't wait to do it later!