When people say studying abroad is life changing, they are telling the truth. The experiences I had, the people I met, and the knowledge I gained made this program something I’ll never forget. Each day that has passed since I have returned, I have thought of my time abroad fondly. If I am being honest, I miss it a lot! It was better than I could have imagined, which is saying something because what I was imagining was amazing!

As a public policy major, I have always strived to have a well-rounded understanding of policy and politics. Until this study abroad, I thought I had done a respectable job achieving this. Well, I was wrong. Studying the political system in the United Kingdom showed me how much I did not know. Although the UK uses a completely different system than the United States, learning about it really allowed me to reflect on and understand my own system better. The course work that we covered and the supplemental experiences our professor planned for us allowed us all to have a deeper understanding of what we came to learn about. After this program I can confidently say I understand the UK’s politics and their political system more than I would’ve studying it from home.

Each day our schedule was packed with a new unique experience for us to enjoy. Our professor cared a lot about exposing us to a diverse set of activities and excursions for which I was grateful. Our professor took us to a Sikh temple which I absolutely loved. Prior to this program I had never visited a Sikh temple or learned a lot about their religion. What better way to learn about Sikhism than from one of their temples. The Gyani spoke to us about the foundations of their religion, how Sikh temples offer free vegetarian meals to anyone, and their experiences as a community in London. After we talked with him, we were able to have a meal from the temple and it was delicious! I remember thinking how truly kind it was that they offered these meals to everyone, every day. Every activity we did gave us further insight into the UK’s history, culture, and society.

Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to cover everything we did, believe me if it wouldn’t take hundreds of pages I would. Each day we were able to do so much and learn even more about London, British history, society, culture, and politics. I will never forget the experiences I had, the people I met, and everything that I learned on this study abroad. This month abroad was one of the best months of my life and it has inspired me to plan future programs abroad. I can say that studying abroad is a unique and invaluable experience that I hope every MSU student can have. I am forever grateful for this scholarship because it allowed me to have this amazing experience that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Name: Ana Licina
Status: Senior
Major: Public Policy
Hometown: Alma, Michigan
Program: British Politics and Society