FIE: Foundation for International Education

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.

Don't get me wrong London itself is amazing. However, I feel like I am not able to see enough of it between my internship and all the homework assigned in my classes. I am only taking one class and an internship placement class and I still feel like there is more work assigned than back at my home university while taking 5 classes. Not only are the other students taken aback by it, but even the two professors admitted they are uncomfortable with the amount of work FIE requires them to assign. The internship placement course fails to relate to my internship at all, provides bad advice on how to handle an internship according to "British standards" (such as, don't ask your internship supervisors to clarify assignments) and packs a 6 week's syllabus into 5 weeks. I was lucky enough to get an internship I enjoy, but that seems rare amongst others I've talked to. In addition, housing 10 girls in 1 flat is too many. It gets dirty quickly; we're pressed for space and it is always too loud for you to get your homework done or sleep, especially since we were warned this building doesn't provide noise control. Yet the two boys in my program share a flat of the same size with one other boy (not to mention they live on the first floor and we all had to carry our heavy suitcases up 5 flights of stairs because there is no elevator). I understand the lack of elevator is not in FIE's control but even providing people to help you carry your bags would be better. There is no staff to greet you when you arrive which seemed pretty odd to me, and I haven't seen any FIE staff since orientation weekend. I wish there was a packing list that was more reliable because I packed all professional clothes for an internship that is casual, and I failed to pack towels, hand towels, hand soap, pillow, a fan, etc. which I had to purchase here. I am only 3 weeks into this 8 week program and for the amount of money I paid, I hope it improves. I guess I just expected more.

I loved my experience with FIE! The housing was in a good location, was kept clean, had good bathrooms and kitchens, and felt very safe. It was great to feel like I was living in London on my own, but to still have support when I needed it. FIE provided lots of information about the events going on in London every week, and all the trips they provided were well organized and great experiences (especially the Wales weekend and Shakespeare Stratford Upon Avon). I loved the small class sizes and learning about the British culture in the classroom and on field trips throughout London. The diverse facility and subjects made for a good educational experience, and was not so challenging and stressful that I didn't have free time to explore London and Europe. Ultimately, I loved my time with FIE in London, and I wish I could go back!

I had the best time studying abroad and FIE truly helped me with that. This program allowed us to have the study abroad experience with an internship abroad which is very rare to see on a resume so I jumped at the opportunity! My internship started half way through the semester and after starting it, I wish it would have been concurrent with my entire semester there because I loved it so much! I know it sounds cheesy to say but my internship supervisor and co-workers were some of the nicest and sweetest people that even a year later I'm still in contact with. Yes it was tough to get up in the morning sometimes but once the semester was coming to an end I wish I could have stayed longer. Something I wish I would have done more is go out and explore London. I got to visit amazing countries but I barely scratched the surface with London. Although, if I were to do it again I wouldn't change a thing.