Santa Clara University

---What were the deciding factors in choosing your study abroad program-location?---

  I had visited London previously and absolutely fell in love with the city. I also loved its proximity to the rest of Europe (especially Paris).

I chose the Arcadia London City University program specifically because it best suited my academic goals. As I am a Marketing and Psychology double major, and graduating on time is high on my priority list, I wanted to study somewhere where all of the classes in which I enrolled would count toward one of my majors.

Also, I liked that this program was a direct-enrollment program so that I would have the advantage of direct interaction with local students.

---What have you learned from your study abroad experiences that have contributed to your personal, vocational, or academic growth?---

  Where do I even start?

In terms of personal growth, I got to be immersed in a completely different culture, which I was surprised to learn is really quite different from my own. I gained a different perspective on politics, on culture, and I was living in the middle of a big city for the first time in my life. I learned a lot about being self-reliant, resourceful, staying safe/making safe decisions.

I also learned how to travel on my own. I planned several of my own trips, some of which I was traveling alone and meeting friends in other countries. I learned about and experienced the historical relevance of many amazing historical sites.

I also learned alot about business while abroad. For one of my classes, I did a project which involved going to a local business, targeting a business sector which could be improved, conducting industry research, designing and conducting a survey, analyzing survey results and comparing them with industry benchmarks, and preparing a research report of present to the manager of the business.

Finally, in terms of academic growth, I experienced an entirely new and different school system, complete with different educational philosophies. I had a hugely diverse set of professors and I was taking classes with British students, as well as students from all over Europe and from the US and Canada. I did all of this while taking classes which were working toward my academic goals.

---What advises, recommendations would you give to prospective study abroad students? In retrospect, how would you prepare differently to maximize the study abroad experience?---

  I would say, travel as much as possible, and meet up with your friends from SCU who are abroad elsewhere; go and stay with them. It is so nice to see a familiar face when you are off on your own for 3 months or more. However, don't travel so much that you are constantly exhausted and you miss out on fully experiencing your home country. Spread out your travels and don't try to see EVERYTHING, just pick a few places that you've always dreamed of seeing.

When planning travels, always check out the discount airlines like ryanair and easyjet.

Plan on spending alot of money; but make a budget for yourself so that you don't spend too much.

If you want to go to Oktoberfest (which is actually in September), start making plans as soon as you are accepted into your program. Hotels/Hostels fill up very early.

Make every effort to meet and get to know people from your host country; I found everyone I met to be incredibly friendly and I am keeping in touch with several of them; I have plans to return to visit them this summer!