England: Jackie Beck (A Home Away from Home in London)

A Home Away from Home in London

A home away from home for me in London is the FIE building. It is where we do all of our classes, so a lot of our time is spent there. It is one of the spots that I will miss the most, since there are so many people that have become part of my “every day.” The FIE staff always are there to support us, listening to us talk before, during, and after our classes. When we go back to Madison I will miss them a lot, since having a support system made my life here so much easier. It was a totally new experience for me, and it made my transition from high school to university so stress-free. I will also miss Metrogate house, where all 10 of us are on the same floor. It gave us the opportunity to get closer and bond so well, and I have a lot of happy memories in every single room. Not only this, but it also has great study rooms and common rooms, so it will definitely be a spot that I will miss so much. Outside of the building, our neighborhood in London will definitely be missed. South Kensington is a beautiful area, and it made this year so incredible. Without these amazing opportunities I don’t think that I would have been so successful or stable in my transition. In all, every part of the program has brought me so much joy this year. Each part played a huge role in my success, and it is an experience which I owe to the support of everyone who contributed.

Jackie Beck 

Major: Undecided

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin