AIFS Abroad: Study, Intern, or Study & Intern in England

Studying abroad was the best decision of my life so far and I am glad that I went through AIFS. Each day I learned more about London, the world and myself.

One of the highlights of my experience was the orientation week. AIFS planned alot of fun events to help us get accustomed to London including a bus tour of London, a ticket to London Eye, a ticket to a theater show and more. Each semester the orientation week changes but the staff do a great job planning events and informational sessions (like safety awareness).

Other highlights include the amazing onsite staff that was always there if you needed anything, having some meals included and location. I'm definitely glad that I chose AIFS.

The staff (particularly Anderson and Tracy) were absolutely incredible in making us feel included and welcome at this school and in London. The location was amazing, being so close to Hyde Park and Kensington High Street as well as two separate Tube stops in such a close proximity.
Within the walls of Atlantic house, it was a great college experience, and as soon as we walked out, we felt like actual Londoners, which was very important to me. I would do it again in a heartbeat, only the second time definitely go for the whole year--or more!!!

The program was better than I expected given the fact that my work environment was extremely friendly and informative while at the same time having the chance to live in London. The only problems I encountered were very much a part of life and thus I cannot blame Global Experiences for the little things that go wrong. Much of the growth one achieves in these programs are directly correlated with dealing with conflict and differences. It is an aspect which many complain about without realizing it is simply a part of life. My employer was a perfect match for my field and housing accommodations were more than satisfactory with the added bonus of an extremely tentative staff. The program delivers exactly as it promises but your mindset is the major determinant of what kind of experience you have.

I definitely enjoyed my internship experience abroad with GE. London is a fabulous city, but I can't imagine what a difficult time I would've had there on my own. First of all, they placed me in an amazing place which was the biggest plus right there. I got to work doing something I love, which, if you're doing something for free, you really want to have. I also felt like the program supervisors were very accessible and if I had a problem--thankfully I didn't have many of those--that I could come to them. The accommodations where we were staying were safe and for the most part, nice, but there were a lot of technical problems like the water going off, the refrigerator occasionally dying. I also would've liked if we had the option to choose what kind of room we wanted, like the studio flats they offered. Otherwise, this was an incredible experience and I'll never forget it.

I was so blessed to get to experience a summer internship in London through GE. From day to day we were provided support from all ground staff and given advice if needed. I am a very independent person and loved that could have my independence while still having support when needed. I could experience London the way I wanted to but still have the social events to join as a group and make life long friends. Throught the experience the GE staff was sure to check with us to make sure we were happy and provided help and advice when needed. They listened to our input and used it to make changes as needed.

For social events we were given a wide range of choices between weekend day trips to areas we wouldn't have been able to go to otherwise, walking tours of historical events and landmarks, nights out to the hot spots in London, high tea, and shows or musicals. The events were always optional therefor allowing you to target your interests. We were also provided with professional development which in turn allowed me to get hired back in the states. I was taught how to directly apply all that I was doing and learning to the professional world. As a recent graduate this was enormously helpful.

As far as the internships themselves I was extremely impressed with the placements and the ability of the GE staff to ensure we were happy by both checking with us and our placement. They were very specific to each of our needs.

Last summer, after looking over my resume and realizing I had little to no internship experience I began to panic! I researched high and low for international internship programs and Global Experiences felt like the perfect fit. During the time leading up to departure the staff coached us on resume, cover letter, and interview prep, and also walked us through the internship and pre-departure preparation via webinars, all of which were very useful. As far as my placement goes, I feel I got extremely lucky to be given the opportunity to intern at the organization I did. After a short amount of time and earning my spot, I was given a mass amount of responsibility. I grew to love not only the city of London, but also the people I worked with. I learned so much about not only the field I am studying but also about myself. The greatest thing I will take away from my work in London would have to be the confidence it gave me. To be considered (by your boss) a major asset to the team is an amazing feeling, and to be told that you have brought some success to the company is an amazing one as well. London, along with my coworkers, will always have a special place in my heart.

My internship itself was great, it was a small non-profit company that focussed on teaching animation to children. The work environment and team there was great and I was able to befriend a few of my coworkers. I walked to work which allowed me to see more of what was around the neighbourhood and be more exposed to the locals rather than tourists.
I had no problem with my accommodation, Nido, only that the rooms and washrooms were small and my bed was not comfortable. Aside from that, the wifi was reliable and the kitchen was completely functional. The cafe and patio were I spent most of my time, and hung out in the TV/study lounges as well.
London, in general, I did not have much trouble adjusting to the culture. I grew accustom to the pub culture (it's normal to have a nice cold pint in the 10 in the morning). I did, however, have trouble keeping tracking of all their coins and ended up having too much that it broke my wallet.

GE has done an excellent job in terms of making the interns' life memorable. GE has made sure all the money charged will be spent on the interns. All the dissatisfaction is not GE's fault and they have already tried their best to accommodate us at the most convenient and affordable place in the city of London. All in all the program is an excellent one and I will definitely spread the words out about it.