CIEE University of Westminster Arts and Sciences Review

I've always dreamed of living abroad. My university had canceled all of its study-abroad programs due to COVID, so the only way for me to study abroad would be through an external program. I am extremely grateful to the CIEE for giving me this opportunity. The staff was extremely helpful and accessible. The courses that I took really stood out to me. I was able to take several courses on art and photography, and in these courses, my instructors made a point to expose us to the many museums and galleries London has to offer. I was able to have incredible cultural exposure just by going to class every day. The CIEE also made a point to organize many fun events to show us around London and expose us to different cities in the UK.

I had a bit of a difficult transition to London. My arrival was delayed due to COVID, and that made the new adjustment a challenge. I did not click with my roommates the way they all had and I felt very isolated for the first month or two. I found it incredibly difficult to make friends. The CIEE staff encouraged me to go to their events with students from other programs and helped me get in touch with mental health professionals, but I feel that many of the issues I was having were enhanced by the housing situation. The apartment they put us in was very nice, but I had no space for myself and was constantly forced to deal with the difficult roommate situation. The lack of individual rooms also became a problem when we contracted COVID and had to be moved in order to isolate.

Luckily, London is a great city to meet new people. Through the experiences that I had in London, I have become considerably more confident and independent. I learned to get out of my comfort zone and dive into new things and in doing so, I have made so many great friends. After the initially difficult adjustment, I am happy to say that my time in London has been amazing and I'm so grateful for these experiences. Through rail travel and cheap flights, it's a great place to be in to explore Europe. There is so much to do in London that you could never leave and still have an amazing time.