First Stop: London, UK #100DaysinUK

“[W]hen a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” – Samuel Johnson

Hi! My name is Kasara, and I am a Genshaft/Greenbaum Passport Scholar! This Fall 2016 I have decided to study abroad in the magnificent city of Oxford, England. There is nothing more exhilarating then studying abroad, and I recommend it to literally everyone I meet! Just as it is exhilarating it takes a lot of time and dedication before anyone can have a successful study abroad experience. In this segment of #100DaysinUK, I will be discussing some important things you would need to know if you wish to study abroad in England in the future.

Applications

This is what I found to be the most important. Make sure you are well aware of due dates and deadlines so that you have a chance of being accepted into the program you apply for. Make sure you also complete financial aid forms and scholarship applications on time (the earlier you complete them, the better!).

Packing

I feel that this section depends on what type of person you are. I am a very heavy packer, so I packed two luggage suitcases and a carry on plus a rather large purse. I made sure to pack a lot of sweaters and jeans because I will be here in the winter. But I probably will have some issues with overweight bagging when I return to the states because I plan on doing some shopping here in Oxford.

Money

This is the most important. I brought with me around $4000 and about £40. The rates at my banks were pretty bad at home (£1=$1.46) so I decided to carry with me at least a third of my money (enough until my scholarship money came in). The rates weren’t that great here (£1=$1.43), but I didn’t have to pay commission so I took it. Some banks have international fees when you are doing money transfers, so I wanted to avoid these as much as I could.

I decided to spend a week in London with my family before I came to Oxford in order to get myself situated. It has been quite an experience; London is truly the greatest city in the world. I also am very grateful to everyone who has helped me get here- my very generous family and university who has helped me fund this trip. I made a short video (First Stop: London, UK #100DaysinUK) detailing my activities before I moved to my new university for this semester, Oxford Brookes University!

Enjoy!