Why did you decide to study abroad with CAPA in London?
Ben: My entire life I have been very interested in other cultures and societies, luckily Ursinus College gave me the opportunity to study and live abroad for a semester. When I met with our international programs department at Ursinus I was not sure what country I wanted to go to. I am a politics/pre-law major, and I also focus in History and International Relations, so I knew that a large, influential, international city would be a smart choice; London fit my criteria perfectly. London is the definition of “cosmopolitan”. It has parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America in it, while still being British. I had friends who had studied in London before and absolutely loved it, and they said the CAPA program had a lot to do with that. CAPA has a reputation of caring about the students that attend the school and trying to give them everything that they can to make the most out of their study abroad experience. When I heard how efficient and trustworthy CAPA was, it seemed like the logical choice.
What made this study abroad experience unique and special?
Ben: My study abroad experience was unique because that is how the program is set up: to make it unique to each student. CAPA offers a variety of planned trips and sightseeing to all parts of London, however only a couple of these are mandatory and the students have the freedom of an entire city to themselves. This allowed for each of us to go out and explore London in our own way. The concept of having one of the most beautiful and influential cities in the world at your fingertips, in college, is surreal. CAPA is located in the gorgeous and famous Kensington and Chelsea section of London and my internship with the CMJA was literally in Trafalgar Square: known as the heart of London. Every day that I went to my internship I would walk up Villiers Street, past Nelson’s column, and look down Whitehall to see Big Ben; no matter how wet or dreary it was that day, that walk would put a smile on my face.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Ben: Personally studying abroad has made me feel well-rounded. All of my professors were British and my co-workers at my internship were British or Nigerian. Just having basic conversations with them about politics, sports, travel, or food helps you understand a little more about the world. And you will also be surprised how interested they are in hearing what you have to say also; that was one thing I was pleasantly surprised about. Many times when someone would find out I was an American, they wanted to hear my opinions on certain global issues or talk about New York, Miami, Los Angeles etc. Professionally I now know that travel and international affairs is something that I am seriously considering when thinking about my career and future. Not only did I try and see every part of London and thoroughly enjoy the city, but CAPA also does not have classes on Fridays and gives you a week off in the middle of the semester, which is designed to allow students to travel to the numerous other cities Europe has to offer. Besides London I went to six other cities, and still only feel like I got a taste of what Europe has to offer.
What is one piece of advice you would give someone considering this program?
Ben: My advice to anyone considering this program is to do it. If you are personable and enjoy new experiences then there is nothing like going to London for a semester. You can try and coordinate to go with friends from your school or to just go alone, but making friends will not be an issue. I went and made friends from multiple other schools, and we still meet up and talk about our times together in Europe. To be honest, it is really difficult to try and explain the experiences with someone who has never done it, but that is part of the fun. The friends you make will always share the same stories. Whether it is about a professor or about a city, the experience is your own and something that you will hold onto for the rest of your life.
