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Eager to step into the footsteps of a college student who is experiencing life in London? We recently caught up with AIFS Abroad student Emma from Marywood University. She spent a spring semester studying abroad in the capital city of London at our very own Global Education Center!
Read on to learn more about her study abroad experience with AIFS Abroad and the impact of being an international student in London.
Lexi: Hi everyone, and welcome back. My name is Lexi. I studied abroad in fall of 2022 at Maynooth University in Maynooth, Ireland. And today I am here with Emma. So Emma, why don’t you introduce yourself a little bit and talk to us about who you are and your program.
Emma: Hi everyone. I’m Emma Devlin. I go to Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where I’m a Communication Sciences and Disorders major. And I studied abroad in London, England with AIFS in the spring semester of 2024. I just got back about two months ago.
Lexi: Awesome. Yeah. So, thinking about your program all the way back to before you went, was there like a set moment where you decided that you were going abroad and you were like, this is what I’m going to do. I’ve decided this is what is going to happen. And what was that feeling for you?
Emma: So I had always enjoyed traveling since I was younger so I always knew going to college I wanted to do something of a program whether it be like a study abroad or a Disney College program or something along those lines because when else would you have an opportunity to go somewhere for three to four months and do things you would never do when you’re typically in college so I had always known I wanted to do that. And at school, I’m in a five-year program. So I had to know in my freshman year that I wanted to study abroad so I can talk to my advisors and plan it all out. So once I had my schedule planned out, I did so much research into all the different programs. Once I picked AIFS, the London specific program, I did that the fall semester before I went, it was so exciting. Now that I knew where I was going, I could do all the research into London, into the area I was living in. And I was relieved to know where I was going, but I was also really nervous because I was going by myself. No one else in my school was going to London and I didn’t know anyone else in the program, so I was not only nervous about going somewhere I had never been before, but also not knowing anyone, but I was more so excited just to get there and to explore a new place so that trumped all of my other fears of being scared of going.
Lexi: Yeah, definitely. When you first make the decision, it’s a lot of different emotions and feelings because you’re excited, but at the same time, you’re like, oh, this is real now. It’s not just a dream that I’ve been having and then you have to go through the whole process of everything and yeah, it’s a lot of emotions throughout the whole experience, I feel. So now thinking ahead to when you were on your program, being in London, was there any kind of specific focus on climate change or green initiatives in England?
Emma: London is very progressive and climate friendly. I’m from New York City so it’s very similar in the way we are…like, we don’t have any of the plastic bags. So in London, they don’t use plastic bags…if you do, you would have to buy them, but they offer a lot of the reusable bags. And they also don’t have plastic straws or cups, so they have paper for all things like that, which took a little getting used to, but it all worked out. And they use the public transport… it’s a huge thing there. So the tube is incredible, a lot of Londoners use it. Many people there don’t drive, so there’s not as many cars on the road, and it helps with lowering gas emissions, so it’s really a win-win.
Lexi: Yeah, I know that because I went to London for a shorter trip with my school, and we were able to take the tube, and it’s just, it’s very easy and efficient, and it’s definitely very different from what I’m used to where I’m from in America, where you have to drive to get anywhere, there’s not really public transportation allowed. Yeah, it’s a very big change, but I think that there should be more public transportation easily accessible in the United States.
Emma: Yeah, a hundred percent. A lot of people, when we talk to some of the locals, they would say how you take the tube everywhere. When we went to class in the morning at nine o’clock, you would see kids going to school and going on class trips all holding hands using the tube. So, it was really great. And it was easy to use.
Lexi: Yeah, that’s the best part is how easy it is. It’s just so simple. You just, it’s so efficient and much better than driving everywhere, having to figure out how to drive, especially in England, since it’s on the opposite side of the road. So that’s definitely a benefit, not having to deal with that. So how did you feel being in England as an American? How did you feel like about yourself, like in your identity? Did you go through culture shock or was it easier to switch over to the culture in London?
Emma: Yeah, definitely. At first I experienced some culture shock. The time difference alone, it took a little used to getting into that. And like you said, driving on the other side of the road, little things like that. In general, it was all fine. It’s very similar. A lot of people I met were interested about the U. S. They find it fascinating. They wanted to hear about where me and my friends, each state that we were from, and they wanted to hear our opinion of the U.K. So yeah, they were really excited to hear about that almost as much as we were to hear about their lives.
Lexi: That’s something really great, I think, is just being able to understand the similarities between the two cultures and just have a mutual understanding and appreciation, I think. That’s one of the best parts about studying abroad, I think, is just being able to immerse yourself in a different culture and history and just get to know the people and everything about the place you’re living in. Even though England speaks English. Did you find that there were any language barriers in terms of the accent or the slang that they use, since it’s different over here? And how would you adapt and learn the differences?
Emma: Yeah, the accent is a big part of England. I find the accent so cool. So sometimes it took a little getting used to. I had one professor in AIFS who was fully British. So it took a little bit of getting used to. I had to make sure I really listened. Yeah. But once you got used to that was very easy. There are some words that they use differently, like elevator, they call it lift. Like boot for the trunk. Little things like that, which sometimes I had to just like use context clues to figure out what they were talking about. But besides that, the language barrier was easy.
Sometimes when I went on weekend trips with my friends to other countries like I went to Italy, for example, I don’t speak very much Italian, so that definitely took a little getting used to. But a lot of the locals are very nice and willing to help, especially in the touristy areas. A lot of people do speak English, and sometimes even the menus and signs are both in the native language and English, so that was really good. And it’s exciting to go ask a local for help. And if they do speak English, it’s really a cool moment.
Lexi: I had a similar experience since I went to Ireland… majority speak English there, but yeah, definitely the accents were fun, but I know sometimes it was a little difficult to understand, especially the further west I got, like not near the big cities, is just a thicker accent which takes a little bit getting used to, but yeah, then traveling to the other countries definitely is crazy when you see the signs or read anything and it’s not English and you’re like, oh, I don’t know what that says. But it’s always nice to be able to still speak with the locals if they do speak English, to be able to have that kind of interaction is really great, I think. Thinking back now, before you went on your trip, like right before you went, when you were packing, how did you prepare and pack for your trip? And was there anything. that you wish you had brought that you hadn’t and anything you did bring that you were like, why did I bring this? I didn’t even need it.
Emma: So my program was for three months exactly to the date. So that’s really hard to pack. I brought one checked luggage and then one carry-on. So, it was really hard, especially being a girl and wanting everything to dress for the occasions. So I spent a lot of time going through and seeing what I would wear every day, getting a lot of clothes that I can mix and match and layer. Especially for England, it’s really good to have lots of rain gear, obviously. So, a durable umbrella, rain jacket, different types of coats for the different weather, some rain boots, but I would also say don’t overpack.
I tried to leave a little bit of room in my suitcase so that if I wanted to bring souvenirs home and it’s exciting to go shopping in the stores. I went to a mall, a UK mall one day, which I thought was super exciting and it’s hard to not want to buy things there. So you could always buy whatever you’re forgetting to bring. I brought one of those like cheap little cameras, which I thought was great. It’s super small and then you can bring it to the different countries and then you have a million souvenirs and the pictures that you’ve taken. So, I definitely liked that.
Lexi: Yeah, no, that’s a really good idea. I brought my Polaroid camera when I went abroad. So I have a bunch of Polaroid pictures. I had to use it wisely because I only brought so much film and I couldn’t really find many places so I had to know when to use it. But yeah, I definitely agree bringing a little camera or something like that gives a different way to document your moments other than just your phone. What is a piece of advice you would give anybody traveling abroad or thinking about traveling abroad or just wanting to know more information about it?
Emma: Say yes to everything. Every day is a new adventure. You’re never going to know what the day may bring. I would definitely say, do everything. It’s so exciting. You’re never going to have another chance in your life where you totally submerge in the culture. It’s different than a vacation. Even if you’re there for two weeks, you are not really ever living in another country. So this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. So I would say yes to everything. Travel as much, do as much. Especially when you’re over there, it’s a lot cheaper. So, if you’re on the edge, I would say go explore. There’s no other time. You’re this young. You can travel and do all of these things. So I definitely recommend to do that and to meet new people. Don’t be afraid to talk to people.
Even I recommend traveling in the country that you’re staying in. I stayed in London, but I traveled to Manchester one weekend, which was so exciting because it’s so different than London, even though It’s just a train ride away, like the culture is totally different. So, I recommend don’t let the fear stop you. Don’t let fear ever hold you back because it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was my favorite experience I’ve had. Every day was so exciting, and I loved it so much. So if I had let fear, the insane fear of not knowing people and being somewhere else stop me, yeah, I wouldn’t have had these great experiences.
Lexi: Yeah, I totally agree. Definitely just go for it, because you’ll never know what you’ll get out of it, and when you’re there, I totally agree with traveling both outside of your country, because it is very much cheaper, like you said, and also traveling within your country too, because you do have your home city or town that you’re in, but just exploring more of the country that you’re living in, I think, is really important. And yeah, just getting out there and exploring and saying yes and doing everything you possibly can to leave with no regrets, I think is the best piece of advice you can give. Thank you so much, Emma, for all of your advice and amazing insight. And thank you so much, everybody watching and tuning in and stay tuned for another episode. Thank you!
Are you a student who’s ready to take the leap and study abroad in London like Emma did with AIFS Abroad? We’d love to help you start your journey!
Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students and pre-professionals study and intern abroad. Our programs are incredibly inclusive, which takes a lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to providing things like cultural and social activities, excursions, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, on-site staff, and more, you’ll take comfort in knowing you’ll have support throughout your entire experience abroad.