CEA CAPA Education Abroad in London, England

I studied abroad in London this past spring, and needless to say, the experience forever changed me. CAPA was the reason for this. Without this program and without their support throughout the semester, I wouldn't have been placed at an internship that broadened my view on the public relations world, I wouldn't have been able to travel around not only England but so many countries in Europe, and I wouldn't have formed so many meaningful connections. Now being selected as an ambassador, I get the opportunity to share with students on my campus how amazing this program is, and promote studying abroad as one of the best decisions you can ever make in college. Thank you CAPA!

Studying abroad with CEA was the best experience of my life, and I can say without a doubt that London is the most exciting city in the world. There's always so much going on, it's impossible to be bored! I also got to visit other countries because travel in Europe is so easily accessible. Not only was getting to see London amazing, but CEA was incredibly supportive. They had staff to assist you every step of the way, whether it was through applying, getting accepted, preparation for your trip, or while you were there. Would absolutely recommend studying with them.

CAPA offers a good variety of interesting courses for most majors. The coursework is easily manageable and the program faculty understands you are there to study as well as travel and explore. During my study abroad program, I was also doing an internship for academic credit. This was my primary reason for opting for studying abroad. My internship site was a management consulting firm in central London. I had a great learning experience not only because I was working in an international setting, but also because it gave me a chance to explore my career interests!

The CAPA administration is very organized and accommodating in most matters. They were always willing to answer any queries and were dedicated to ensuring all students had a safe and fun time abroad. Students from Clark University have a unique living arrangement because their housing accommodation is with Acorn Housing. This is a fully-furnished flat in Central London. It is located across Russell Square and Park. It is very convenient and safe.

London is a great place to try different cuisines and desserts. I would highly recommend visiting shops for gelato and crepes. My friends and I would usually cook at home. Surprisingly, groceries were very cheap in London. Whenever we were out we would try new restaurants or go to local food markets where you could get very tasty food at reasonable prices.

This program was amazing. The classes were very inclusive and informative but also tons of fun! The administration were very helpful and supportive throughout my time abroad. They were also very eager to answer my questions and give me advice.

I loved my flat building. The only thing that was difficult to live with was the lack of air conditioning. But, we were warned about that before our arrival! I also lived about 30 minutes from CAPA which meant on the days I had class, I would have to get up earlier but that was not a problem for me.

When it comes to food, I am a picky eater but I was always able to find some kind of food to eat! Grocery shopping was a challenge at first but once I got in a routine, finding what I liked was easy.

My home institution (TAMUCC) was very supportive and encouraging before and during my time abroad. They helped me find classes that would transfer over for academic credit and they also let me watch a training video that prepared me for situations that could happen while I was abroad.

Overall, I felt safe in my host city. I would recommend getting a purse that hangs across your body so that it is constantly attached to you. Be aware of your surroundings and make sure you keep your personal items close to you, always!

I enjoyed spending money whenever I could on fun activities but I was always aware of my budget. It was not impossible to manage my money, you just need to have a plan! Make sure you don't go over board. You have plenty of time to spend money on souvenirs, focus on enjoying your time abroad first!

My time spent with this program was truly incredible. This program was the perfect fit for me, as was this city! I am so thankful that I was able to meet such wonderful people and take interesting classes in the beautiful city of London.

This experience helped me learn that I am fully capable of being independent. I learned more about who I was as a person and how I handle different situations during my six weeks abroad. I am more confident in myself thanks to this experience.

I wish I would have known that six weeks goes by a lot quicker than you think. Make the most of every second in this incredible city!

There is a perfect amount of coursework involved in this program. It is not too much where you feel like you cannot handle it, but it is enough to feel like you are actually getting something out of it. The professors are all really helpful and recognize that you are studying abroad, so they want to help make it the best experience possible! There are a number of classes which have field studies or out-of-the-classroom excursions where you can experience what you are learning about firsthand. This allows you to see so much of your host city that you wouldn't have even known about it. The staff and administration at CAPA are all very helpful and kind. At some points it was a little annoying how much they contacted the students. However, they stay on top of you for a good reason and are just looking out for you. They do all they can to make it a great experience for everyone who is there. The living arrangements were smaller than someone is probably used to, but that was expected. A few people in my complex had mice in their flats. However, that was not the case for my flat. The housekeeping each week helps a lot to keep the place clean! Great location, close to the tube as well. London is a very safe city. The crime that happens is more pity crime compared to the US. Therefore, it is perfectly fine to be out and about on your own, within good reason obviously. The most important thing to worry about is getting your phone stolen. People will grab it out of your hands on the street and the police can do little about it. The internship was a very beneficial experience and allowed me to grow and develop professionally. I also loved how diverse and global London is and am glad I was able to be in that type of environment.

It was the best opportunity of my life and I would do it over again in a heartbeat if I could. I learned more things about myself professional and personally within 6 weeks more than I have at my 2 years in college. I found a passion in the work that I did at my internship and I found such a love for cities and for traveling. CAPA was the perfect program for me. The length was just enough for me to get acclimated into London but also I was able to leave before I got too home sick. The costs were not too expensive and it offered me everything I wanted in a study abroad experience (to live in an apartment and be with other Americans, to have an internship, and to take classes).
I took one class over the course of 6 weeks and it was SO AMAZING. It was called "Analyzing Global London" and I can't imagine living in the city without having taken this class. I learned so much about different neighborhoods and explored and took field trips to parts of London I wouldn't have visited otherwise. I also learned so much about the history of the place and analyzed it more than the normal Londoner so I feel like I got to understand the environment a lot better.

Studying Abroad in London has been the greatest experience of my life. I got to do so many different things that I never thought I would've been able to do. London, England is almost like New York City except the people in London are nicer and they also drive on the opposite side of the road (something that took some time to get used to). The courses I took were taught by my home college professors and I took classes with students from my school. Classes were given at the CAPA center which is located in the borough of Kensington. I took two classes while in London and these were each held on one day a week, so one course was held on Monday from 9am -4pm and the other was held on Wednesday from 9am-4pm. Though I didn't mind having a four day weekend, it would've been better to have the classes two times a week so everything wasn't being crammed into one day. But trips were incorporated during class time so we never actually sat all day in the classroom. One of my favorite trips was to Westminster Abbey because it is amazing to know how many famous/royal/important figures in British history are buried inside and also that Prince William and Kate got married there. Something amazing was going to Stonehenge and Bath during a day trip planned by CAPA. Being at these locations didn't even feel real and my pictures look like I cropped myself into them. I lived in a dorm/ apartment owned by Notre Dame University and that is located almost directly across from Waterloo Station, one of the biggest in London. Taking the tube became a normal everyday occurrence since it was such easier to hop on a train and get where you needed to be in a few minutes. I studied abroad during the summer and the weather could not have been any more perfect. It only rained for one full day and a few times at night so don't believe the rumors that it's always rainy in London. One of the best things that I got to experience was going to Trooping the Colour, which is the Queens birthday celebration. At this parade I got to see the Queen and the entire royal family and it is something that i will remember forever. Something to always remember is that in London, pedestrians do NOT have the right away: people on bikes will not stop for you and will run into you if you are in their way and people on mopeds will drive on the sides of other cars to get to the front so they can take off first. But studying abroad is an experience that you will never forget. Though I experienced ups and downs during my time abroad I would not ever traded my time in London for anything.

If you're a travel geek like me I highly recommend this program because how many people can actually say they went to China. Not only does studying abroad look good on a resume, for most going abroad is a once in a life time experience, where you can gain independence, responsibility and become culturally educated. I highly encourage anyone who remotely interested to take the opportunity because it is unforgettable and you also gain close friends while abroad. I also want to include, CAPA made all the application processes very easy by giving us step by step instructions on what to do.
I studied abroad mainly in Shanghai, China, but I did visit other cities as well such as Beijing, Wuzhen, and Hangshan. Myself and 20 other students from my school lived at East China Normal University for about a month and stayed in a hotel in Beijing for 2 days. The dorms were very nice and modern even though it did take us a while to figure out the Wi-Fi and the heating system. We had both a guide and a translator from CAPA with us for the majority of the trip, which was really helpful and CAPA was also gracious enough to all us to visit many popular sites in China, like the Great Wall, temples, the Yu Garden and the Bund. In addition, we tried some traditional Chinese food like frog, lychees and many different types of fish. I highly recommend taking a trip to Coco Party which is like a little cafe in Shanghai that has amazing milk shakes and sandwiches. My favorite memory is when about 7 of us decided to go to Yellow Mountain. The views were breath taking and you also get a good work-out. Overall, I enjoyed the entire trip and I hope to travel to more places in the future.