FIE: Foundation for International Education

When I arrived in London I was not too sad and got comfortable very quick. As time went on my sadness grew but I want you to remember that things and people you are missing you will be with again eventually. Therefore, doing all the things you want to do, making friendships you are scared to make, doing new things is so much more worth it then being upset about missing home. One thing I would change about this journey was to see more things, travel more, do things that make me happy more often and be more of myself and be outgoing to make new friendships. I learned to never forget who you are, be yourself, let your mind be open to the new things you can learn and people you can meet.

Studying abroad in London through the FIE was honestly a dream come true. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to live and study in London and that was made possible through the FIE London: Semester Abroad Internship Program. The coursework was definitely challenging as grading is a bit different in the UK compared to what I was accustomed to in the states. However, because of the structure of the classes and the fact we are studying abroad, London isn’t only the city we’re living in, it’s also our classroom. And I don’t know about you but learning history is way more interesting when you get to see it with your own eyes. The co-curricular activities and being able to immerse in the history of London was probably my favourite aspect of the program. But then again, also being able to hold an international internship was pretty amazing as well. How many students from your university can say they worked abroad? Additionally, I have to call attention to the housing. I knew very little about London in terms of the lay of the land prior to my arrival, so I was stunned when I arrived at our South Kensington accommodations. Literally down the road from Kensington Gardens! Again, I repeat, the program was a dream. Living in such a central part of London where we could easily go anywhere, the tube was around the corner and there were museums everywhere. There’s just so much to see in London and while you really got to master time management with all the course work so that the last 7 weeks can be focused on the internship, I can promise you that adventure is calling in London town. I went to more concerts, plays, musicals and museums during my time in London than I have combined in my life prior to. The diversity of London is beautiful and I stand by my statement that I will call it home again someday.

I loved my program from start to finish. Yes course work was challenging at some points but in the end it was so worth it and it really brings out the best in those who go with this program. There is so much to learn and do and see and try and I strongly believe that this program helped me with that. I was with Beagle Button Ltd and they are the nicest company of people I could have been placed with. So helpful when I struggled and always gave me work that was challenging but not so hard that no one could do it. I hope someone else has the chance to do what I did and have a great time learning about the workplace culture and learning more about business.

As I was already studying abroad for Bachelors, during my freshman year I did not think I wanted to do a semester abroad somewhere else. However, my sophomore year I realized that it is a great opportunity and I decided to apply for study abroad along with my roommate. This was the best decision I made! I had a beyond amazing time studying and exploring in London and am more than happy about my experience with Foundation of International Education. I was able to choose the Quarter study program which fit with my college's trimester schedule and I also got a scholarship by FIE which made this possible. All the courses had out of class activities as well which I really liked. London soon became home and is a great place to study abroad, a city where you will never go out of things to do!

This partnership with the Foundation for International Education was a life-changing experience. I grew both as a student and as a person. As a student, I had to relearn how to time manage longer academic days than I'm used to with completing assigned work and wanting to experience a new country. As a person, I developed more independence, since this was the first time I was out of the country and I was alone too. I would definitely recommend this program to other students because the students who attend will be changed for the better.

The outside activities that I participated in were very fun. I enjoyed the day at the farm and the tour around The Liberties. The farm opened my eyes to a new side of Ireland that I had seen in the previous weeks. The tour of The Liberties was a great way to connect and learn about the area I stayed in while abroad.