FIE London: Semester & Summer Internships and Study Programs

Where can I even start with this review?? My summer in London was truly an unforgettable one. First of all, South Kensington was an absolutely lovely place to be. I never for one second doubted my safety. There were also so many restaurants around that were affordable, welcoming, and most importantly - delicious. (Bella Italia, SCOOP, and Dozo to name a few). We were super close to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens which are both adventures ready to be taken on in themselves, and I loved every second of it. One of my favorite memories was watching my friends roll down the hills outside Kensington Palace (and yes I said watch them- I didn't join for fear of grass stains). We also had so much fun experiencing and discovering the night life in London. However, for those of you that are not too keen on this, I never once felt like I had to go out. There are SOOOO many things to do in London besides indulge in the perks of being of drinking age. We went to pretty much all of the extracurricular events provided by FIE-. This includes plays (my personal favorite), rooftop mini golf, and the London Eye. London is huge and the possibilities for adventures are truly endless.

The classes we took during our time in London were incredible. I took British Life in Business, which was learning about business in England and the England culture overall. This class also included a ton of field trips. I was so so excited to take our field trip to Parliament and it's safe to say the trip went above and beyond my expectations. And of course the field trip to the brewery was super fun!! (Going to Wimbledon was also something I was crazy about!!). The internship class was also an incredible experience because it helped to actually take our internship and put into words how it was helping us grow professionally. I personally love professional development which was mainly the focus of the class. In addition, each professor I had was truly amazing in their own way. They both cared passionately about us and the topics we were covering, and personally made me feel comfortable talking to them if I ever needed to.
The internship was also something I will never forget. It was a phenomenal experience. I had never had an internship before, but it didn't matter because the FIE staff worked tirelessly to make sure every student got the best internship placement possible.

I encourage anyone considering studying with FIE to GO FOR IT!!! It was scary, and intimidating, and pushed me out of my comfort zone. But it was also exciting, fun, and challenged me in ways I'd never thought possible. I grew immensely from this experience and any bump in the road I encountered was put out of my mind because everything else was so amazing. The FIE staff truly cared about our well being and was there if we ever needed anything. I promise you, doing this will not be something you regret.

I really enjoyed my experience in London through FIE. Location was prime and they ran the program well! By locating us in Kennsington, we were very well connected to everything via the Underground and buses. The internship component of the program was very valuable, and they did a great job setting that up

I haven't stopped talking about this experience since I returned to the states in April of 2013. From the phenomenal housing to the always-going social scene, the depth and breadth of free art, the fact that you're a train ride away from nearly anywhere you'd want to come in Europe...this study abroad experience is one I'd recommend to anyone.

While I didn't find FIE itself hugely helpful, the professors I studied with were engaging and entertaining. I cannot emphasize enough, as an English nerd, how much I loved studying Shakespeare in London, touring the Globe, and seeing a modern retelling of Twelfth Night. The British culture course was also just an interesting way to engage with the city.

The most wonderful aspect of FIE is the housing/transportation included in this study. I doubt I will ever live in as upscale a neighborhood as FIE's South Kensington apartments; even though I lived on the top floor of a seven-floor walk-up, being in central London was utterly worth it. The area is safe and hugely accessible. There are plenty of small grocery marts and cafes (there was a new, to-die-for French pastry shop literally around the corner from my building on Manson Place, with meringues as big as your head).

It's a few minutes' walk from Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens, the V&A and several other museums; it's the perfect place to stay and be connected to the city. This program also knows how important transportation is in London and supplied us with Tube & bus passes, which lifted what could have been a big part of financing the experience and allowed us the freedom to travel wherever we liked within the city. They also offered some discounted trips, tickets, and experiences like high tea at the start of the term, which was a great way to plan out some London-sightseeing throughout the year.

It's fairly simple to buy some inexpensive towels and bed linens at stores like Primark (the UK version Marshalls), as you're on your own for the former and the latter were a little sparse, at least in my building. But the experience...looking back, my appreciation for those four months only continues to increase.

And, not to give anyone absurdly false hopes or anything, but Englishmen and Europeans are lovely and direct (being asked out on a date, straightforwardly, is nice!). I very happily met a man I fell utterly in love with while in London, and our first date walking up and down the South Bank of the Thames, followed by cooking dinner at the flat I stayed in, remains one of my fondest memories there.

Studying abroad in London absolutely changed my life. I had not considered moving to and working in another country until I had studied abroad. Now I plan on moving back to London after graduation. I honestly never thought I would feel so independent and confident after having studied abroad. I truly miss London everyday.

My expectations were exceeded upon immediately arriving in London. FIE staff were extremely helpful and welcoming into our new home for the next couple months. Our housing was located in a flat across the street from Hyde park in the Kensington neighborhood of London. We were able to travel and get around London easily on the underground train or"tube". The people were friendly and there was always something exciting to do in London. I definitely recommend London and FIE if you're planning to study abroad in England.

I came from a military family and never got to see anything besides the East Coast of the U.S. I always had a urge to see the world and the people that also call it home. London was the city that crammed with more of the world than any other. FIE London made my accommodation and experience in this city incredible.

Many study abroad organizations are new and are thrown together to catch a growing wave of international student travel. You often hear of disaster experiences with study abroad programs that ruined the entire trip for students. FIE has been doing this for awhile and it was apparent for me in how well the operation was run.

Quick tips for London study:

- don't buy anything the semester before, become a hermit
- understand the program can offer you opportunities but it's on you to grab them and turn them into memories and experience
- budget, budget
- if you aren't sure, reach out to alumni. nearly all will be very willingly tell you about the experience, long as you're prepared for an ear full

The Experience:

The classes were held in the elegant and very safe neighborhood of South Kensington, right down the road from the (free!) Natural History Museum. This was a wild contrast from the North Philadelphia ghetto my school was located in.

We spent Monday - Wednesday studying British Media with professionals who have worked for organizations like the BBC and Al Jazeera. I took a travel writing class that involved field trips to London's hidden gems and writing about our travel experiences. Thursdays and Fridays were dedicated to internships if you choose that option.

What I liked most was seeing the complexity of the international world. A evening travel across the city can expose you two dozens of different languages and pass you by businesses, franchises and brands owned by nationalities from all corners of the global.

In all it's a special experience full of thrills and adventure. FIE acts as the perfect home base for your British/European expedition.

Living in a different country can be very difficult, a new neighborhood, a new dialect, but most importantly you're all by yourselve !

I moved from Germany to the US a few years ago and I decided to go London for a semester, thinking it would be nice to closer to home again. However, what I experienced was more than just the traveling, the partying and other typical things that happen studying abroad. I actually grew up !

London is a city that has very limited space and we students got put into housing in Chelsea, right at Kings Road. For those who don't know, this is quite the expensive area and is one of the safest area's in London. Life never stops on King's road, the grocery store is in walking distance, all the buses go downtown and I just miss living there every day since I left.
So how did all this change me ?

- Life is expensive in London, therefore cooking your own meals is the cheapest way to go
- Making my own decisions, like where do I travel next ?
- Interning in a different country/city, getting sent on some random tasks downtown, not having an idea where to find certain items is definitely a challenge. I remember taking a cab once asking my driver where I could find these items. (don't ever take a cab unless you're that desperate)

This list goes on and on, but I seriously forgot about all the problems I have back home. I had enough money saved up to do what I wanted, without asking my parents. I traveled so much, that I even fell in love with Scotland and I would do almost everything so that I could go back for Fall Break.

I had such great experience with this program and made so many friends that I traveled back there this summer and went to the new show from my internship and just wish I could relive this experience.

PS Don't forget that on a study abroad program you also have to study! All I can say is that the FIE professors are amazing people and I learned so much from them and I wish I could take more classes with them :)

I arrived in Kings Cross where I was scheduled to check in at Nido, our living accommodations while in London. Nido is a very modern building that is less than five years old. Not only were the thirty-three Temple University study abroad participants staying here, but students from all over the world. Despite finding my room to be the size of a shoe box, I was able to overlook the cramped living situation because it forced you to spend more time in the common rooms meeting diverse people from all different cultures.

As for the school part - I was thrilled to find out my that I would have Mondays off because this meant more time to take trips! On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I had classes like Travel Writing, English Broadcast Communications, and the London Olympics. On Thursday and Friday, those who had chosen to participate in an internship (me) would attend their place of work from 9am to 5pm. I was fortunate to be assigned to a beauty, health, and nutrition public relations agency called CCD PR. It was an intimidating experience, my first internship being in a whole new country that had different expectations of office culture, but I adjusted and learned a lot in the process.

Even though the class and work experience were wonderful, it was the traveling I did on the weekends that taught me the most. I took advantage of cheap flights, buses, and trains, traveling to Dublin, Paris, Bath, Rome, Florence, Venice, and a solo trip to Wales. I also stayed once the program was over and went to Amsterdam, Bruges, Brussels, and Berlin. I spent some time solo while in Amsterdam and Bruges where I met an English girl who was traveling the same route as me. It was surprising how much I connected with her. It was extremely refreshing and when we parted ways, I knew she would be a very special part of my experience.