Alumni Spotlight: Hannah Ogren

I have always wanted to study abroad in London. It has a rich history and is also a major city of the world. It also has a lot of opportunities for me to go back in the future! When I met with my advisor at the University of Iowa, the IES London UK Today program was exactly what I was looking for! It fit perfectly with my schedule because it would not interfere with my credits. I never looked back after finding this program in November of 2017.

My university helped me with the application process as well as confirming that credits would transfer. Iowa was primarily a support during the entire process! My advisor at Iowa led the way until I was accepted into the program. But, otherwise, I did a lot of it with the support of IES advisors! They were the ones who helped me with rooming, travel itinerary, and getting my student short term stamp for customs! Combined, it was a very easy process!

Go in with an open mind! Be prepared to try new things and have fun with it. I wish I would not have been so nervous going into it. Yes, there are a lot of things that were different, but there was a reason I chose to go abroad... To find something different.

I also recommend being comfortable going out into London by yourself and finding a favorite spot! When I was able to go and explore on my own, I really felt that I made the right decision in coming to London. It made it feel like home.

I only had one class a day, so I spent a lot of time either exploring or getting to know the other people in my program! Because there were only 21 of us, we liked to do things together - go to new restaurants, museums, parks, etc. But there were also days that I loved going out and exploring London by myself. I found so many cute coffee shops to do homework or read in.

I was most afraid of how far away I was from my friends and family, and that if I didn't like it, I would be stuck there.

I overcame this by going out of my comfort zone and actively meeting people during the first week, as well as getting to know the neighborhood I was in, so I became comfortable with where I was quickly.

But I soon got over that fear because I realized we were all in the same boat, and actually had nothing to worry about because I loved it.

I travelled a few times during my program, and so did a lot of other students in my program! In Europe, it is relatively easy to travel around (whether it is just in the UK or throughout Europe). I personally recommend traveling and exploring the UK. I travelled one weekend in Paris, and it was fun. But it was a lot more work and time. But I went to 4 other cities in England and I think it gave me such a better idea of the culture and history of England.

There are so many places in England that are famous and have very historic background and I think that it is beneficial to see what England has, other than just London (as much as I loved it). But the other people in my program who travelled out of London more often also loved seeing other parts of Europe. There really is not a right or wrong answer in this!