FIE: Foundation for International Education

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.

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.