What inspired you to travel abroad?
To be completely honest, I wasn't very happy at my home university. I had been struggling to feel like I belonged for over a year by Fall 2023, and decided I needed a semester away doing something I was passionate about.
I've always dreamt of traveling, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to continue my education while indulging in something I've always wanted to experience.
Why did you choose the IES Abroad London DE – City St. George's, Uni. of London program?
My home university does not offer many abroad opportunities, so I took it upon myself to research the right one for me. I was deciding between Amsterdam and London, but ultimately felt like London would be the right fit for me, with so many different things to do and easy transportation.
I felt like IES's abroad program offered everything I was looking for in study abroad, with direct immersion, proper courses to continue my academics, and many opportunities to meet new people.
Friends on the bus ride home!
What was your favorite part about London?
There was so much to do! I am the type of person who has to keep moving, and London was perfect for keeping me consistently occupied.
I was away for three months and was still not able to do everything I wanted, which leaves me with more reason to visit again. I loved all the architecture and historical monuments, free museums, incredible pop-up events, and so much more.
I'm originally from a smaller city, and this was a perfect introduction to a bigger city with so many unique activities to do.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
Aside from the opportunity to travel most weekends, one of the things that made my abroad experience extraordinary was someone I met. I ended up in a residence hall with mainly people from the same school, different from mine, so I was the odd one out.
My roommate had invited me to meet everyone from said school, and that's where I met my current partner, Carter. Ever since that second weekend in London, we have traveled to seven different countries together and have continued a long-distance relationship since coming back to the States.
St. Patrick's Day in Dublin!
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
IES staff was more than helpful in the transition to study abroad life. Our first week was filled with orientation events that familiarized us with our neighborhood, local customs, and IES offices around the city.
This first week of events was so valuable, as it allowed us to meet staff members and fellow students, and gave students in the program the opportunity to work together to find our meeting spots around the city.
Throughout the program, these same staff members would do check-ins for our well-being and were always open to helping with any issues we may run into.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
Though sometimes I wish I had planned some weekend trips before arriving, I truly would not change a thing about my experience abroad.
If I had made plans before meeting everyone, I may have never had the opportunity to gain as many close connections within my program or travel as much as I did with my partner. I don't regret a single decision I made abroad, as the whole event has left me with a new outlook on life, new goals for my future, and memories that will last a lifetime.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
A typical school day consisted of me walking over to either the overground station or the nearest tube station in Camden Market at about 10 a.m. I would then arrive in the Clerkenwell area, where I would go to my favorite crepe restaurant and order the same thing: a savory bacon and cheese breakfast crepe.
I would then walk over to campus and attend my classes until about 6 p.m. From there, I'd walk to the local Chipotle with a friend of mine, and we'd take the train back to our residence hall together.
On the days I did not have class, I'd always be exploring a new area of London or bringing friends to exciting locations I had found in the days prior.
Tulip festival in Keukenhof, Netherlands!
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
Most weekends, I was traveling to new countries or taking day trips to cities nearby. One of my favorite things to do while abroad was just exploring new areas.
I loved getting lost through side streets or major shopping spaces, just taking in all the culture surrounding me and appreciating the city I was currently in. Another activity I loved to take part in was reading a book in a park.
London, along with a lot of Europe, has extensive parks and fields. On calmer days, I would walk to whatever was nearby, put some headphones on, and just read on the grass for hours.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I lived in a residence hall or dorm about 20 minutes away from my university, and 25 minutes away from Central London. One of my favorite aspects of my accommodation was the neighborhood.
It truly felt like we were immersed in the smaller locations of London, given the opportunity to explore our borough and all the neighboring sub-sections. Camden Market was about a 15-minute walk from our building, so that was a big spot for fellow students to gather, closer to Central London.
With Carter in beautiful Oía, Santorini, Greece!
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
I would let future participants know that there is limited immersion with locals. IES provides great tours of your neighborhood and the surrounding areas of your university, but you are more interactive with people in your program than those at your school.
It is up to you to reach out to these students and make connections if that's something you were looking forward to.
Would you recommend your program to others? Why?
I would and definitely have recommended this program to others! IES Abroad provided so many resources to make me feel more comfortable being in a new country for three months.
Not only this, but they are very responsive throughout the whole process, making sure you know everything about your chosen location with due dates, possible field trips, and where to go if any help is required while you're away.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
I feel the biggest benefit would be the people I met and the memories I made. Although it sounds cliché, this truly was the best experience of my life.
It allowed me to view the world from a completely different lens and made my travel bug that much hungrier to see the world. With creating all these memories, it has been challenging to speak with others at my school about the experience, as they may not relate.
My friends abroad have become such an outlet to share stories and remember fun nights all together, allowing us all to connect even more than we did during our program.
The walk to City University!
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Being home, I find myself looking for similarities to my time abroad, which I have yet to find. I tend to compare a lot of what I do in the U.S. to how I lived differently in London.
Although this may seem like a negative, I'm so appreciative of the opportunity I was given, and I love reminiscing on everything I was able to explore while away.
I seem to be romanticizing my life in London because it was so much easier, with so much to do, interesting architecture, and the excitement of just being there. But I've been determined to do the same in the States, even if my surroundings are a little bit different.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel is feeding my passion by being immersed in the culture and becoming educated wherever I may be going. I think it is so important to know at least a little about where you're going to respect their culture or ways of life.
By placing myself in a completely new and exciting environment, I felt more connected to where I was traveling, allowing me to carry these same ideas wherever I go.
I also believe meaningful travel allows me to learn more about myself — what I like or don't like, and how I problem-solve or react to certain situations. After studying abroad, I feel so much more confident both in myself and in the way I speak with others.
