The Streets of London

Author: Anna Kate Davis | Major: Agricultural Business, Pre-Law | Semester: Summer 2023

I chose this program because when I was searching for a study abroad program to participate in this summer, I was overwhelmed with options. There are so many different avenues you can take when arranging your study abroad experience, and I was honestly lost. Then a friend approached me with this program, Arcadia in London. After looking at so many different program options, I knew that this one was offered the most competitive pricing and most flexible class schedule, and I would get to go with a dear friend, so I chose this one. It ended up being the experience of a lifetime. Although I was not studying anything directly related to my degree, the experience of being abroad for a month, virtually alone, was invaluable to my personal development. My class, The London Stage in Text and Theater, was very interesting. Theater is a huge part of the culture of London, and it was special to have the opportunity to study it in places such as the Globe Theater. My class was very much discussion based, which was different from most of the classes I have taken at the University of Arkansas, which are often lecture based. This was probably due to the difference in what I was studying. I enjoyed the change of pace, especially when paired with a different environment, because it did not feel entirely like school at all. Another my course was different from what I typically experience at the University of Arkansas is that there were only ten people in my class. This allowed us to get to know the other students, which was a great opportunity since they were from all over the United States. We all were given the amazing opportunity to closely experience the theater of London, something that is deeply embedded into the heart of their culture.

The culture of London is something that is only explained as distantly familiar. The same language is spoken, and from a distance you might see something similar to any major city in the United States, but at a closer look, one can see the years of culture and history built on top of one another. Something that was always particularly fascinating to me was how old everything was. In the United States, we look at something that is two hundred years old and comment on how amazing it is that it is still around. In London, whether amazing architecture lining the streets or antique artifacts in beautiful museums, there were things that dated back to before Columbus, which was simply mind-blowing.

As this was my second time studying abroad, I feel I am qualified to give advice. If I could pick one thing to tell a person who was considering spending time abroad, it would be this: just do it. There is no better time than now. Although you might have opportunities in the future, you will never again be this young and have the opportunity to travel the world with your friends, or people who will soon become your friends. It might seem intimidating, but the experiences gained make any difficulty worth it, and I would not give up my time abroad for anything.