When arriving to London it was very challenging because I had no cell phone to rely on for directions. I had to actually rely on instinct, and logic to get from paddington to Camden town. It did not take me long ( two days) to figure out how to use the tube.

During the week I had classes till Thursday so my weekends were free to do whatever I wanted to do. I usually would wake up late, and then venture out until the morning time.

I really did not encounter any difficulties while I was in London, except when it snowed for one day. I am use to there being delays, but in this city there was none.

(See what I did there). But seriously, all cheesy titles aside, CAPA is an excellent program. It is a smart fit for you if you are considering advancing yourself in the professional world and if you want to something different and life changing.

I studied in London, my fall semester of 2012. Adjusting was strange, but I felt the CAPA program tries its best to help me. Well before I arrived in London, I was given a big packet of information with nearly every question I had answered. Arriving at housing for the first time, we were given a welcome tour of the neighborhood we were to be part of for the next couple months. Staff was available for questions, advice, and even just to listen.

My housing was nice, it’s not like staying at the Ritz, but it’s good. We had housing keeping come, which helped us a lot. I didn’t find my flat to be crowded and I lived with 5 other roommates.

Your Visa allows you to work 20 hours a week since you also attend classes and attendance is mandatory. Classes are with the Americans who also part of the CAPA program, so you get to form friendships. I loved that my internship was with mostly British people and it was in the center of London, in the midst of excitement. It helped me learn more about the British culture and make new friends and connections. CAPA truly wants you to get immersed in British culture. The program organizes tours and trips that teach you about the culture, people, and history of London. Try to go on as many of these outings as you can.

Looking back now on the experience, I’m glad I did an internship and studied abroad. CAPA allowed me to balance both. CAPA program also allows you to have a good amount of free time to travel and sightsee.

If you’re having doubts about going to London, drop them! London is an amazing, diverse, and lively city. If you’re bored studying in London, you’re doing something wrong. There is so much to see and do, and while it’s expensive, it’s worth it. This makes me want to go back!

I am not lying when I say this was the most worthwhile experience of my entire life. Having an internship abroad was the perfect experience. And not just any internship, but one with the NBC bureau. Not many programs have those type of connections, and the experience I gained there was invaluable. I felt behind before studying abroad, a lot of my peers had at least one internship under their belt. Any intimidations or worries I had about not adapting to London disappeared within a week. Soon, I was giving directions to tourists and could master the bus and tube schedule with ease! There were moments of homesickness, but I just went outside, hopped on a bus and just enjoyed watching the city. Sometimes it was a pain in the butt to pay for things with the awful exchange rate, but it really is all worth it and I wouldn't change a thing!By the time I got back from London, my friends who hadn't gone abroad were jealous of me!

Are you an athlete who is considering going abroad? Are you afraid that you won't be able to stay in shape once you reach your travel destination? Well if you chose the CAPA London program, don't have any worries. Placed directly in a major area of the city, the CAPA program is incredibly close to many gyms in which you can receive a discounted student membership. Personally, I went to regent's gym, which is actually on the Westminster University campus, and places you into an atmosphere with other university students. Another gym option that is closer to the CAPA academic building itself, is the Imperial College gym. Since CAPA is technically an offshoot of Imperial College, you receive an Imperial College student card, which also offers you a discount to the gym located on campus. So if you're an athlete or just someone trying to stay in shape, their are options for you!

In addition, if you are more of the running type, the city of London is a fantastic place to do a daily morning jog, or just a fun run every so often. Personally I enjoyed running along the Thames River at night, since everything from Parliament to the London Eye is lit up, and offers a amazing view for all joggers and walkers alike. Also, the parks surrounding CAPA offer incredible scenery, and some of them, such as Regents Park, even have a track!

But what is it that CAPA itself offers to athletes? Well, CAPA classes only meet once a week, and they meet for approximately three and a half hours each session. This allows for students to get their coursework done for the day in one stretch of time, leaving the rest of the day for personal activities, such as working out! If you are also interested in the internships that CAPA has to offer, you are allowed to negotiate your work schedule with your individual manager, which gives you the opportunity to leave plenty of free time to get your coursework done as well as a workout.

Finally, through the CAPA program, you are given a meal stipend based on the amount that your individual campus has negotiated. This means that you get to cook your own food, as opposed to swiping into a cafe and eating a cheeseburger and fries every day for lunch! For an athlete, this is ideal, being able to plan out your meals and eat exactly what you need for your body to develop allows for you to keep track of what you are eating, which for athletes and non athletes alike, is always beneficial.

Now, other than the ability to stay in shape, the CAPA program itself is absolutely incredible. The classes and professors are challenging, yet fair, and the opportunities that CAPA offers for you to explore the city and the surrounding area is rivaled by no other! Taking Harry Potter walking tours and trips into Bath are parts of a study abroad experience that are crucial, yet many programs do not arrange for their students. With a staff that truly cares for the students who are studying with them, you will never feel alone and will always have the ability to do a fun and interesting activity every week!

So this was my first travel abroad anything, so I was really nervous. The instructions by CAPA on how to get to my accomidaitons were on point from the get go. I was able to make it to my residence safe and fast. They were also very accomidating since I was arriving a day late. All in all CAPA set me up with two classes that were relevant to my degree, as well as an internship. The classes weren't to stringent as far as the work load. They were pretty strict on the attendance of the classes though. The internship was GREAT that they set me up with. I being a psychology and sociology major was set up working at a community youth organization in Camden Town. I had the most rewarding experiences working with my internship. The staff, volunteers, and kids i got to know were amazing. I was able to go on trips with them and help them with community projects. I became and inspiration to the at risk youth I was serving--an experience that I will always cherish professionally and personally.

The overall CAPA experience was great though. They had many structured events and tours that were spread out all throughout my study abroad. I was able to see some of the touristy sites with the group of CAPA students that I otherwise probably would not have seen. It was great too!!

As far as my living accomidations and such, they were fairly impressive. I didn't know what to expect walking into my residence and when I did I felt right at home. The only thing about the residence was that I was able to make friends with everyone staying in and around my flat building, but the other CAPA students where were located on the other side of town or in homestays I wasn't able to connect with as easily. All in all though it was fun and easygoing. Also CAPA gives you a 40 pound stipend each week which helped with the food costs and other miscellaneous expenditures I had.

I honestly didn't have many difficulties if any. I am personally an independent and well supported individual so I didn't have any of the common difficulties that some may of had. There were a couple instances where others in the progam had been victims of petty theft but that was always during big events unassociated with CAPA.

If I could offer a piece of advice to anyone considering traveling abroad, HAVE FUN! You make your experience not anybody else! Enjoy!

The best things about the program are all of the events and activities CAPA offers to students and really encourages to take part in. Many of them focus on culture and diversity, which a cool and unique aspect because the events aren't just touristy. The classes and professors that teach them are also really great at encouraging (and even requiring) students to get out and experience London.

My particular internship was a good placement for my and I gained really beneficial skills that have already helped me land interviews.

I studied abroad with CAPA International Education during the Fall 2012 semester and could not be happier with my decision. I chose the program mostly due to the internship component and was very happy with my placement; the program has a whole staff for internships alone and students are placed with companies based on their interests and future goals. Most people I talked to were relatively happy with their placement. I loved going abroad with other Americans to have that familiarity when in a foreign country. I also loved having such a great staff there if I had questions or needed help with something, which I did a number of times over the semester. The housing was really nice and well-maintained, with maintenance and cleaning in the building all the time. My flat was located about 10 minutes from the CAPA center, which was really convenient, but there were buildings in multiple London neighborhoods. I always felt safe in my neighborhood. The classes were pretty low-stress- once a week, three hours long, and no excessive work.

The Internship was an amazing experience. CAPA has great connections in their cities. I loved all my experiences and opportunities that were available through CAPA and my internship.

The courses where taught by British Professors, who were very knowledgeable and passionate about their subject. They do hold you to the high standard of academics in Britain. They are very paper, essay exams, and presentation oriented instead of multiple choice exams. The classes are all American students, but students get a student card from the nearby University, Imperial College, in order to join clubs, teams, and social events. CAPA also has "MyEducation" events that bring students into cultural activities.

The CAPA advisers where extremely nice and helpful. Many of the staff where previously students on the program and are willing to help students in anyway. They also have great advise and suggestions for the city and travel. The administration is also very strict. They have man rules and they do not mess around. You will get sent home if you disobey. There is also a very strict attendance policy. They do have a good orientation that helps new students fully understand the rules, safety, and opportunities of the program and city.