London Law Program 2018

STUDENT GUIDE TO LONDON

STUDENTGUIDETOLONDON2018LondonLawProgram

TableofContentsAboutLondon.............................................................................................................................................................1Bloomsbury............................................................................................................................................................2TheFSUStudyCentre........................................................................................................................................2

PartI.

PreparingforLondonChecklist........................................................................................................................................................................3PassportsandVisas.................................................................................................................................................3FlightInformation....................................................................................................................................................4HealthInsurance.......................................................................................................................................................4Money............................................................................................................................................................................5CASH&ATMs:.......................................................................................................................................................5CREDITCARDS:.....................................................................................................................................................5TRAVELER’SCHECKS:.......................................................................................................................................6

TransportationfromAirports.............................................................................................................................6TAXIS:........................................................................................................................................................................6CARSERVICES:......................................................................................................................................................7FROMHEATHROW:............................................................................................................................................7FROMGATWICK:..................................................................................................................................................8

Baggage.........................................................................................................................................................................8

PartII.LivinginLondon

Weather......................................................................................................................................................................10GettingAroundLondon.......................................................................................................................................10THETUBE:...........................................................................................................................................................11BUSES:....................................................................................................................................................................11CABS&MINICABS:...........................................................................................................................................11

TravelingintheUK...............................................................................................................................................12

OtherTravel.............................................................................................................................................................12TelephoneandMailServices............................................................................................................................13Shipping.....................................................................................................................................................................14Computers&Studying.........................................................................................................................................14Converters................................................................................................................................................................15HealthCare...............................................................................................................................................................15NoteonCrimeandSafety...................................................................................................................................16

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STUDENTGUIDETOLONDONLondonLawProgram2018

ThisguideisdesignedtoanswerthemostpressingquestionsaboutstudyinginLondon.The

followingadvicehasbeencompiledovertheyearsandhasbeenupdatedyearlybystudentassistantstotheprogramdirector.WehopethiswillbeagoodstartinhelpingyouthroughyourpreparationsfortravelandyourvisittotheamazingcityofLondon.

AboutLondon

London,withapopulationofsevenmillionpeople,isoneoftheworld’sgreatcities.SituatedontheRiverThamesinthesoutheasternpartofEngland,Londonstretchesineverydirectionovermoresquaremilesofparks, squares,monuments,museums,andshoppingstreets thana studentcouldhopetoexploreinalifetime,letaloneasemester.Asthefamed18thcenturywriter,Dr.SamuelJohnson,putit,“[W]henamanistiredofLondonheistiredoflife;forthereisinLondonallthatlifecanafford.”

LondonhasbeeninhabitedsincebeforetheinvasionbyJuliusCaesarandhisRomanarmy(inapproximately55B.C.).Thestoryofitsphysicalgrowthanddevelopmentistoldinthediversityofitsarchitecture,withfineexamplesofallstylesrepresented.TheGreatFireof1666eradicatedmostmedievalbuildings,butatthesametimeprovidednewopportunitiesforarchitectstorebuildthecity.Today,GeorgiantownhousesjostleforspacewithVictorianofficebuildings.ThestoneofWestminster Abbey contrasts sharplywith the red brick of St. James’s Palace, and the stucco offashionableKensingtonprovidesrelieffromtheglassskyscrapersintheCity.

London is renowned for its theater, including Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the NationalTheatreon theSouthBankof theThames,and the famedWestEndproductions. ResidentoperacompaniesperformattheRoyalOperaHouse(CoventGarden)andtheEnglishNationalOpera.TheRoyal Ballet, the Sadler-Wells Ballet, and touring international companies provide manyopportunitiestoattendclassicalandmoderndanceperformances. Concertsat theWigmoreHall,RoyalFestivalHall,QueenElizabethHall, and theRoyalAlbertHall are complementedbychurchmusicandrecitalsalloverthecity.StudentscanenjoythetreasuresoftheNationalGallery,theTateBritainandTateModernGalleries,theQueen’sGalleryatBuckinghamPalace,theBritishMuseum,theMuseumofLondon,andinnumerableotherartgalleriesandmuseums.

The diversity of London provides unparalleled shopping (and window-shopping)opportunities–excitingOxfordStreet,elegantMayfair,thesmartshopsofBondStreet,andthestreetmarketsofPortobelloRoadandCamdenTown.ThegreatdepartmentstoresofHarrods,Liberty’s,Harvey Nichols, and Selfridges, and the boutiques of Kensington and Chelsea, offer the latest infashion.

InJanuary,London’sclimateisgenerallymild,butchangeable.Sobesuretobringahatandgloves, as well as waterproof shoes or boots, a raincoat, and an umbrella! The best way to bepreparedfortheweatheristowearaseriesoflightlayers.

TheBritishlegalandpoliticaltraditionsarerichinhistory.OurprogramthereforeincludesavisittotheOldBaileyandtheUKSupremeCourt,theHouseofCommonsandHouseofLords,andmeetingswithBritishbarristersandsolicitors.OurcourseinLondoninLondonenablesAmerican

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lawstudentstoglimpsethehistoryandinstitutionsofthecountrywhereourcommonlawtraditionwasborn,andtherebybroadentheirunderstandingofthecomparativelegalsystemsoftheUnitedStatesandtheUnitedKingdom.Bloomsbury

The London Law Program is located at the FSU Study Centre in the heart of London’sBloomsburydistrict.ThedevelopmentofBloomsburybeganintheearly1660s.ItsoonbecameoneofLondon’smostfashionabledistrictsandaplaceofresidenceforrichmerchantsandaristocrats,knownforitselegantsquares.Bloomsburyisnowdominatedbytwogreatinstitutionsoflearningandscholarship–theBritishMuseumandtheUniversityofLondon,allwithineasywalkingdistanceofus. TheBritishMuseumcomprisesoneofthelargestandfinestcollectionsofantiquitiesintheworld.

Duringthe19thcentury,Bloomsburybecameafavoritehauntofartistsandwriters,themostfamousofthesebeingCharlesDickens.Intheearlypartofthe20thcentury,the“BloomsburyGroup,”anassociationofartistsandwriters,includingE.M.Forster,RogerFry,JohnMaynardKeynes,andVirginiaandLeonardWoolf,re-establishedthearea’sliteraryreputation,whichlivesontodayinitsmanyspecialistbookshops.The“father”ofmoderncommunism,KarlMarx,whenanobscureandimpoverished refugee,wrote “DasKapital” under the great beehive dome of theBritishMuseumReadingRoom,whichisnowondisplayintheBritishMuseum’sGreatCourt.TheFSUStudyCentre

TheFSUStudyCentre,whichopenedin1993,consistsofadjacentbuildingsdatingfromthe17thcentury,whichhavebeencompletelyrenovatedtoincludeallmodernamenitiesandfacilitiesfor education and housing. The reception area is notable for its recently restored, 300-year-oldpaintedceiling.Sixfloorscontainclassroomsofvaryingsizes,facultyandprogramoffices,ageneralreferenceandvideolibrary,24-hourcomputerlabsandstudyrooms,studentlounge,lecture/theatercomplex,andstudenthousingfacilities.TheCentrealsocontainsaclassroomstrictlydevotedtotheLondonLawProgram. Students fromseveralAmericancollegesanduniversitiesmakeuseof theStudyCentre,creatingadiverseandcollegialstudentbody.Thebuildingiswheelchairaccessibleincertainsectionsandthereisanelevatorforaccesstocertainparts. Studentswithconcernsaboutaccessibilityshouldcontacttheprogramdirectorassoonaspossiblebeforeenrolling.

TheStudyCentreislocatedoneblockwestoftheBritishMuseum,andlessthantwoblocksfrom the Tottenham Court Road Underground Station. The “Tube” provides convenienttransportation,alongwithlinkstomanybuslines. You’llfindLondon’sWestEndtheaterdistrict,Covent Garden, and bustling Oxford Street within walking distance. The area is brimmingwithrestaurants,recreationfacilities,andshops.

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PartI.PreparingforLondon

ChecklistAsyouplanforyourtimeinLondon,usethischecklisttohelpyoutrackessentialitemsand

necessarypreparationsforyourtrip.

¨ ObtainPassport/ensurepassporthas6+monthsvalidity(obtainvisaifrequired)¨ DetermineArrivalandDepartureDates¨ PurchaseAirlineTicket¨ OrderTextbooks¨ MoneyMatters:

¨ NotifyATM/CreditCardproviders¨ ObtainInitial/Emergencycash

¨ PlanTransportationfromtheAirport¨ PackBaggage¨ PackDocumentsinCarry-OnLuggage:

¨ ImmigrationLettercertifyingparticipationintheprogram(youwillreceivethisinDecember)

¨ DirectionstoFSUCentreandContactInformationforProgramDirectors

PassportsandVisas

PassportsarerequiredtotraveltotheUnitedKingdom.Assoonasyouareacceptedintotheprogram,pleaseturnyourattentiontothisissue!!Ifyouhaveavalidpassportalready,pleasemakesureyourpassportwillbevalid forsixmonthsafteryourreturnfromtheUK. Pleaseapply forapassport right away if you do not have a valid one. If you are an American citizen, passportapplicationscanbeobtainedatthenearestPostOffice.BritishlawdoesnotpermittheLondonLawProgramtogivespecificadviceconcerningimmigrationmatterstoindividualstudents. Hence,allstudentsareresponsiblenotonlyforobtainingtheirownpassports,butalsoforfulfillinganyvisarequirementsthatmaybeimposed,anddeterminingothertravelrestrictionsthatmayapply.

IfyouareaU.S.citizenparticipatinginourintersessionprogramyouwillnotneedtoobtainavisa. But,youwillneedtotravelwithdocumentsshowingthepurposeofyourtriptotheUKtopresenttoBorderAgencyofficialswhenyouenterthecountry.Theprogramdirectorwillprovidealettertoeachstudentconfirmingtheirparticipationinourprogram.Thislettermustbehandcarried(notinyourcheckedluggage)withyourpassportandpresentedtoUKimmigrationauthoritieswhenyougo throughpassportcontrol. IfyouarenotaU.S.citizen(i.e., ifyouareanationalofanothercountry)youmayneedtoobtainotherpermissionsfromUKauthorities.

Pleasefinalizeyourpassportandvisadetailsbeforepurchasingyourticket!!Wehavehad

studentslosetheirnonrefundable,non-changeableticketstoLondonbecausetheydidnotmeettheextravisarequirementsfortheirnationality,andthuscouldnotflyonthedateindicatedfortravel.

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FlightInformation

AirfarestoLondonvarygreatly.Bookingearlywillgenerallyhelpyouobtainboththelowestfare and the best selection of travel dates. Booking at least a month or two in advance isrecommendedandwilllowerstresslevelsdramatically.WinterfarestoLondoncanbequitegood,butairfaresfluctuatedramaticallyovertime,soit’sdifficulttopredictwhattravelwillcost.Studentstypically fly into either Heathrow or Gatwick airport (both discussed in further detail below).HeathrowisclosertocentralLondonandoffersmoretransportationoptions(theTube,London’sunderground railway/subway, runs from Heathrow to central London but does NOT run fromGatwicktocentralLondon).

Before booking your flight please consider both your arrival date in London and yourdeparturedateattheendoftheprograminlightofyourpersonalneeds.Remember,localorientationactivitiesbeginattheFSUCentreonDecember29,2017,andattendanceatorientationismandatory.Pricesmayvarywidelyoverthecourseofjustafewdaysforthesameflightonthesameairline,soexploreyouroptions.Determiningyourarrivaldateandfinaldeparturedatemaysaveyouexpensiveticketchangefeesattheendofyourtrip,soplanaccordingly.

ExcellentdealscanbefoundonwebsiteslikeKayak,StudentUniverse,STATravel,Priceline,

Orbitz, Travelocity, and Expedia. Three websites that list many discount ticket brokers arehttp://travel2rp.com/consolidators.shtml, http://www.lowestairfareshomepage.com, andhttps://www.skyscanner.com.Inaddition,manybudgettravelagenciescatertostudentsandofferlowerairfaresthancommercialairlinesortravelagents.Whenyoucalltomakereservationswithastudent travel agency, the agencymayneedyour International Student IdentificationCard (ISIC)numbertosecureastudentdiscount.Youcanobtainacardfromyouruniversitystudyabroadoffice.Itwilltakeseveralweeksafteryouareacceptedintotheprogrambeforeyourcardarrives.IfyoucallforareservationbeforeyoureceiveyourISICcard,askiftheycanholdthereservationuntilyougetyourcard.

HealthInsurance

All London Program students will be covered by the health and evacuation insuranceprovidedbytheUIInternationalProgramsStudyAbroadOffice.Informationaboutthecoverageisavailable at http://international.uiowa.edu/study-abroad/health-insurance-information. If youcurrentlyarecoveredbyahealthandmedicalpolicy,youmayalsowishtocheckwithyourinsurerto determinewhether and the extent towhich itwill cover you during your travels abroad, andproceduresforreimbursementorpayment.

Tip:Pleasebeawarethatmanystudentsdiscovertheyneedafewdaystoadjusttothesix-hourtimedifference/timechange.

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Money

CASH&ATMs:

YouwillfindATMmachines(referredtolocallyas“Cashpoints”or“HoleintheWall”)inbothairports,aswellasthroughoutLondon. Byfar,theeasiestwaytogetEnglishcurrencyisthroughATMs.TheyareeverywhereandeasilyaccessibleinLondon.MostATMsinLondonacceptPlus,Visa,andMasterCard.YouwillalsoprobablygetthebestexchangerateusingtheATM,providedyouuseATMsofmajorbanksorbuildingsocietiessuchasBarclays,HSBC,Lloyds,Natwest,Halifax,AbbeyNational,Nationwide,ratherthan“independent”machinesatcornershops(bodegas),airports,andothertourist-heavylocales.

YoumaywanttoexchangesomeUSdollarsforEnglishpoundsbeforeyouleaveforLondon.

Doingsowillmakeinitialtraveltothestudycenterandpurchasingyourfirstmealmucheasier.Fewbanksnowstockforeigncurrenciessocallyourbranchbeforearrivingtodeterminewhethertheyexchangecurrencyandwhattypeofleadtimetheyneedtomeetyourcurrencyneeds.

BeforeyouleaveforLondon,lookintoyourbank’spoliciesonATMaccessabroad.Besureto

askwhatsurchargesorconversionfeeswillbeappliedtointernationaltransactions. Manybankscharge1%ofthetotalATMwithdrawalforeachforeigntransaction. Thatisimportanttokeepinmindasthesecostscanaddup,particularlyifyouareusingtheATMforyourrentpayments.Askaboutanycost-savingtravelbenefitsforwhichyoumaybeeligible.Forexample,BankofAmericarunsanexchangeprogramwithBarclaysthatallowsfreewithdrawalsfromBarclays-ownedATMs.AsBarclaysATMsareprevalentinLondon,thiscansavealotofmoney.Don’tforgettoaskaboutyourmaximumdailywithdrawal.Somebankswillraisethedailylimituponyourrequest,andmosthaveahigherlimitforpurchases.CREDITCARDS:

AsintheUS,VisaandMasterCardareacceptedatmostgrocerystores,restaurants,andmanyotherretailoutlets.YoucanalsousecreditcardsatmostTubestops.Thefeeschargedbydifferentbanksforforeigntransactionsandtheexchangeratesthemselvesmayvary. YoumaywanttotrybothyourATMandacreditcardortwotodeterminewhichmethodgetsyouthebestexchangerate.Mostcreditcardcompanieswillcharge1%ofthecostofthepurchaseasaforeigntransactionfee.Ontopofthis,VISAandMasterCardwillchargeanadditional2%ofthepurchase.Thisaddedcostcanbecomequiteexpensivewhenmakingmanyorlargepurchases.Somecardcompanies,suchasCITIandChase,offercardswithnoextrafeesforforeigntransactions.Thismaybeanoptionworthlookingintobeforeyoutravel.

Tip: AnEnglishpound isalsoknownasa“quid.” So, ifsomethingcosts“5quid,”itcosts5pounds.Youmayalsobetolditwillcostyou“afiver.”Likewise,10poundsis“10quid”ora“tenner.”“Pence”istheequivalentofourplural“pennies.” Youmaybe toldsomethingcosts“50p,”whichmeans50pence.

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Notifyyourcreditcardcompanyandbankthatyouwillbetravelingabroadbeforeyouleave.Severalstudentshaveexperiencedhavingtheircreditcardsdeniedwhentheircreditcardcompanyputsfraudalertsontheircardsdueto“unusual”foreignactivity.Forthisreason,youmayalsowanttohavecreditcards,andpossiblyATMcards,fromatleasttwodifferentbanksforyourtrip.Also,incaseoftheft,besuretokeepinasafeplaceinyourpapersatyourapartmentalistofyourcreditcards, account numbers, any special identifying or authorizing codes, and the phone numbers toreporttheftofeachcard.

TRAVELER’SCHECKS:

Ingeneral,traveler’schecksarenotveryconvenienttouseinLondonorelsewhereinEurope.Youmayhavetopayafeetoobtaintraveler’schecksfromyourUSbank,andtheexchangeratemaynotbeasgoodastherateyouwillgetonATMwithdrawalsandcreditcardpurchasesinLondon.Inaddition,youmayhavetopayafeeto“cash”yourtraveler’schecksinLondonTIPPINGCULTURE:

IncontrastwiththeUnitedStates,serviceworkersintheUKarenotdependentupontipsfortheir income. It is therefore rare to tip servers in restaurants, pubs, cafes etc. If you receiveexceptional service in a high-end restaurant, it is permissible to tip up to 12.5%, but it is neverexpected.Theoneexceptiontothisruleisblackcabdrivers.Thegeneralpracticeistoaddacoupleofpounds,or“roundup”yourfare(e.g.from18to20pounds).

TransportationfromAirports

TAXIS:

Most students fly into Heathrow or Gatwick Airport. In either case, you will needtransportationintocentralLondon.Taxisaretheeasiestandmostexpensiveoption.OneofLondon’sfamous“blacktaxis”willcost£55-£105(checkthecurrentconversionratestodeterminetheamountindollars),dependinguponthetimeofday,howfaryouaretraveling,andtheamountofluggageyouhave.Minicabsarelessexpensive,buttheytendtobesmallercarsandmaynotprovideenoughspacefor heavy travelers (see below formore discussion onminicabs). Someminicab companies useminivansortrailerstotransportseveralpeoplewithlargeamountsofluggage.Youmusttelephoneaheadforminicabservice.NEVERacceptaridefromsomeonewhoapproachesyouintheairportuninvited.Foradditionalinformationandasearchablelistofproviders,visitTransportforLondon’sTaxisandMinicabspageathttp://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/2680.aspx.Thereareseveralgoodalternatives to an expensive cab ride into central London. As of this writing, Uber is no longeravailableinLondon.

Tip: British credit cards rely on chip and pin technologywhereasmanyAmericancardsstill useswipetechnology. Mostplaceswillbeabletoswipeyourcard,butsomeplacesthatyoufrequent(liketubeticketmachinesand self-checkoutgrocery stores)mayhavedifficultyreadingyourcard.ManystudentsfindthemselvesrelyingoncashfarmorethanintheStates.

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CARSERVICES:Acost-efficientmethodtogetfromtheairporttoyournewflatistoshareacarservicewith

otherConsortiumstudentslivinginyourbuilding,orarea,andarrivingatthesameairportonthesameday.Thesecarservicescanalsobemorecost-efficientthanataxiforasingletravelerandofferthe convenience of not struggling with heavy luggage on and off trains or the Tube (London’sundergroundrailway).FSUandpastConsortiumstudentsrecommendusingExpresswaystobookprivatecabstoyourflatfromtheairport.MentiontheFSUtoreceiveadiscountedrate.FROMHEATHROW:

ThequickestwaytoreachcentralLondonfromHeathrowisthe“HeathrowExpress”train.ThistrainwilltakeyoutoPaddingtonRailwayStationinabout20minutes.Trainsleavetheairportabout every 15 minutes. You may want to purchase a railcard, which will save you moneyimmediatelyontheGatwickorHeathrowExpress.ThisisdescribedinPartII,below.TheHeathrowExpresstypicallycosts£22forasingle(one-way)ticketor£36forareturnticketifyoupurchaseyourticketsbeforeboardingthetrain(youcanalsopurchaseticketsonboardforanincreasedprice).YoucanthentakeacabortheTubetoyourfinaldestination.YoucannottakealuggagecartontotheplatformtowaitfortheHeathrowExpressorontothetrain,soyouneedtobeabletocarryyourluggagebyyourself ifyoutaketheHeathrowExpress. There isalsoa train, “HeathrowConnect,”whichrunsontheHeathrowExpressraillines,butstopsmoreoften,andisthereforemoremodestlypricedatapproximately£10.20foraone-wayticketor£20.40return.

Alessexpensive,butmoretime-consuming,andpotentiallybackbreakingoptionistotake

theTube(LondonUnderground)fromHeathrowairport.Manystudentsfindthis option can be exhausting with heavy luggage after an overnight flight.However,takingthetubeisbyfartheleastexpensiveoptionatabout£5.Atuberide tomost locations in central Londonwill take about45minutes. In theairportterminal,lookforsignswithahorizontallinethroughacircle;thisisthesymbolforpublictransportation in London. Follow the signs until you come to the Tube station. Largemaps ofLondon’stubewillbepostedneartheticketboothsandturnstiles. ThePiccadillyline(darkblue)runsfromHeathrowtoanumberofstationsincentralLondon,includingLeicesterSquare,PiccadillyCircus,andKnightsbridge.Consultatubemaptoseewhichstopismostconvenientandwhetheryouneedtoswitchlinestoreachyourfinaldestination.Beawarethatonmanyweekends,portionsofthetubeandvariousstationsmaybeclosedforscheduledmaintenance.Youcanfindserviceupdatesat http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ to confirm the availability of your route, or ask one of the helpfulattendantsattheTravelInformationCenterslocatedineachofHeathrow’sfourterminals.Theyopenat7:15amandcloseat10:15p.m.TheTubehoursofservicerunfromabout5:30amuntil11:45p.m.(lateronweekends).

Tip:ThereareoptionsforcheckingyourluggageatoneofHeathrow’sfourterminals. Thisallowsonetoget familiarwithLondontransportwithouttheburdenofluggage.Itcostsabout£8perdayperpieceofluggage,andthestoragefacilitiesareopenfromabout6amto10:00pm(hoursvarybyterminal).CommercialservicesincludeExcessBaggageCompanywithlocationsatHeathrowterminalsaswellasvariouscentralLondontrainstationsincludingPaddingtonandKing’sCross.

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Freeluggagecartsareavailableintheterminal,however,youcan’ttakeluggagecartsontheTube,sobepreparedtocarryyourluggage.OnlyafewTubestationsareequippedwithelevators,sobepreparedtocarryyourluggageupanddownstairs,onescalators,andacrossplatforms.ThosestationswithelevatorsaremarkedwithahandicapaccessibleiconontheTubemap.MostTubestations involvewalkingsomedistancetomakeconnecting linesoraccess thestreetandyouareunlikelytofindanyonetoassistyouintheTubestationwithyourluggage.Dependingonthetimeofday,theTubecanbequitecrowdedwithpeople,makingitevenmoredifficulttomovearoundwithyourluggageorfitintoatrain.NeverleaveyourluggageunattendedinaTubestationorinanyotherpublicplaceinLondon.

NationalExpressrunsacoachservice(bus)fromHeathrowAirporttoVictoriaCoachStation

incentralLondon.Fares typicallycost less than£10. VictoriaCoachStation isa shortwalk fromVictoriaTubeStationoryoucantakeacabtoyourfinaldestination.

Youmay also take one of London’s red double-decker buses. This is probably the least

convenientwaytogettocentralLondonfromtheairport.AtHeathrowsimplywalkstraightoutoftheinternationalterminal.TotherightofthedoorsleadingoutsideisastoredevotedtosellingbusticketstocentralLondon.Tellthestaffyourdestination,andtheywillsellyouaticketandtellyouwhichbustotake.Thebusesarrivelessthan25yardsfromthestore’sexit.FortheFSUStudyCenter,askforthebusgoingtoRussellSquare.FromRussellSquare,takeablacktaxito99GreatRussellStreet.

FROMGATWICK:The easiest way to reach London from Gatwick is the Gatwick Express train to Victoria

Station.Trainsrunevery15minutesandthejourneylastsapproximately30minutes.Baggagecartscannotbetakenoutoftheairport.ThereisalsoalessexpensiveregionaltrainfromGatwickwhichtakesaboutthesameamountoftime,thoughitmaybesloweratpeaktimes.Youmaywanttoavoidrushhourtravelonthis line,especially if travelingwith lotsof luggage. ThereisnoTubeservicedirectfromGatwick.However,ifyouhavetakentheGatwickExpresstraintoVictoriaStation,thereareTubeconnectionsandyoucanpurchaseaone-waytubetickettoyourdestinationTubestop.YoumayalsochoosetotakeablacktaxifromVictoriaStation.

BaggagePayattentiontoyourairlineluggageweightlimitswhenpacking.Mostairlinesimposealimit

of one piece of luggage weighing a maximum of 50 pounds (23 kg) each. Regulations changesomewhatfrequently,soconfirmtheluggagequantityandweightlimitswithyourairline.Textbooksareveryheavyandmayneedtobeputinyourcarryoninordertoavoidexceedingtheweightlimits.Airlineschargeexpensivefeesforexceedingluggageweightlimitations.Youshouldavoidbringingunnecessary heavy items andwill want toweigh your luggage before heading to the airport. Abathroomscaleworkswellforgettinganapproximateweightforeachpieceofluggage.Londonhasmanyinexpensiveoptionstopurchaseitemsyoudonothaveadequatespacetobring.

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Tip:London’sclimatewillfluctuatedaily(andsometimeshourly)overthecourseofyourstay.Whileyoumayneedoneortwopiecesofheavywinterclothes,lighterclothesthatcanbeworninlayerswillhelpyoutoadapttoweatherchangesmorequicklyandmayhelpreducebaggageweight.

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PartII.LivinginLondon

WeatherTheweatherduringJanuaryistypicallycool(nearfreezing,buttypicallynotbelow)withlittle

sunlight. Youwillwantahat, scarf,andglovesormittens. Youmayseea fewsnowflurries,butsnowfallrarelyaccumulatesinLondonandyouaremorelikelytoexperiencetheubiquitousrain!CheckBBCWeatherforfurtherweatherdetails.

GettingAroundLondon

Whiletherearemanytransportationoptionsavailableforgettingaround,Londonisalsoagreatplacetowalk.CentralLondonisverycompactandyoumaysometimesfinditquickerandmoreinterestingtowalkfromoneplacetothenextthanitistotaketheTubeorbus.

Ifyouplantoexplore,werecommendbuyingacopyofLondonA-Zoranotherdetailedmap

uponorbeforeyourarrival.YoucanfindstylesfromthemostdetailedpaperbackincludingeverynookandcrannyofLondon,tothelessintricatefoldupmaps.MapsareavailableatmostnewsagentsandbookstoresinLondon.Werecommendacolorversion(easiertoread)andapocket-sizededition(convenience).(Googlemapsalsoworkswell,assumingyouarehappytopaytheroamingchargesforyourmobiledevice.)

Tip:TheTuberunsuntilaboutmidnight,(lateronFridayandSaturdaynights)andsomebusesruna little later. In fact,somebuses(“NightBuses”)run24-hours.Lookforan‘N’priortotheroutenumber.Keepthisinmindwhenarrangingoutingsonthetown,astaxisarecanbeveryexpensive.

Tip: Weekly andmonthly Tube passes include free bus fare on allLondonbusrouteswithinthezonesincludedinthepass.

Tip:Aquickrefresheronconversion:(C⁰x1.8)+32=F⁰

0°Celsiusis32°Fahrenheit 15°Celsiusis59°Fahrenheit5°Celsiusis41°Fahrenheit 20°Celsiusis68°Fahrenheit10°Celsiusis50°Fahrenheit 25°Celsiusis77°Fahrenheit

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THETUBE:TransportforLondon’s(“TfL”)website,www.tfl.gov.uk,isessentialforfiguringouthowto

get anywhere in London by public transport. In addition to information on fares andmaps, the“JourneyPlanner”featureissimilartoMapQuestandwillexplainhowtogettowhereveryouneedto go, with any combination of public transportation. You may want to download the (free)Citymapper app on your smart phone,which allows you to check directions and plan awalking,drivingorpublictransportrouteusingwi-fi,andthenaccessthatinformationlateroff-line.

WewillprovideyouwithanOysterCard touse forpublic transportationduringyourstay.

Oystercardsaremoreconvenient thanpaper ticketsandprovide thebest fare. Oystercardsare“prepaid;”andthecardsprovidedbytheProgramwillhaveasetvalue(about£20.00).Eachtimeyouusethecard,thecurrentfareisdeductedfromthecard. Onceyouhitthedailypricing“cap,”whichisthepriceofaone-daytravelcard(currently£4.40),yourtravelisfreefortherestofthedayonyourOystercard.Theprice-cappingworksinterchangeablyonbusesandtheTube.OystercardsaregoodfortravelontheTube,buses,Tramlink,DLR,Thameslinkferries,andmostNationalRailserviceswithinGreaterLondon.TheDLR(DocklandsLightRail) isessentiallyanextensionof theTubeintotheGreenwichandDocklandsarea(eastandsouthofcentralLondon).TubeticketsandOysterCardsworkontheDLR.

BUSES:

Using thebus system is a goodway to savemoneyand familiarizeyourselfwith the city.TransportforLondon’s(“TfL”)website,www.tfl.gov.ukisalsotheplacetoplanbusjourneys.BustravelcanbecheaperthantheTubeandmayhelpyoubetterunderstandthelayoutofLondon.OnedrawbackisthatitcanbeslowerthantakingtheTube.Alsobewarethatduringrushhour,busescanbecrowdedandmaystoptopickupnewpassengersevenwhentheyareatcapacity.SincethebusesrunmuchlaterthantheTubeandtherearemoreofthem,thismodeoftraveloffersmoreflexibilitythantheUnderground.

Itisimportanttoknowthebusschedulewhenstayingoutlateatnight.WhiletheTubeshuts

downaround12:30am,manynightbusesrun24hoursaday.Routescanbedifficulttofigureoutfromthebusterminalsthemselves,somakesureyouknowhowtogethomebeforeheadingout.

PayingbusfarewithyourOysterCarddeducts£1.40fromyourbalancewhereasthefareis

£2.40whenpaidincash.Busfaresarenotcappedifyoudon’thaveaprepaidpassoranOysterCard.Therefore,ifyouhavetotakethreedifferentbuseswithoutanOysterCardtogettoyourdestination,youwouldpay£6.00.ThiscanmakethebusmoreexpensivethantheTubeforlongjourneys.

CABS&MINICABS:

UseonlyLICENSEDcabsorminicabs.NEVERtakearidefromsomeonewhostopsyouonthestreettooffertransportation.

Everyyeararticlesappearonthefrontpageofnewspapersaboutthesometimestragicfates

of victims who use unlicensed minicabs. There are two ways to avoid such problems: (1) useLondon’s famous andwell regulated “black taxis” or (2) text Cabwise, a service of Transport forLondon.SimplyTextHOMEto60835togetthenumbersofonetaxiandtwolicensedminicabfirms,in theareayouare texting from.Thecallcosts35p.YoucanalsocallCabwiseat02072221234.Alternatively,ifyouhaveinternetaccess,youcanconsultwww.tfl.gov.uk,andtheTFLwebsitewillprovidealistingoflicensedminicabsinyourarea.

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TravelingintheUK

ManystudentschoosetotravelintheUKbeforethestartoftheformalprogram.Traveling

bytrainwithintheUnitedKingdomisquiteexpensivecomparedtocontinentalEuropeancountries.Agoodwaytosavemoneyifyouare25yearsoldoryoungeristopurchasea16-25Railcard.Evenifyouareoverage25,youmaybeabletogettherailcardbyshowingproofthatyouareafull-timestudent.Itgenerallysavesyouone-thirdofthestandardtrainticketcost.ItmaybewisetopurchasetherailcardifyouplantodomorethantwoorthreetripswithintheUKortoStanstedAirport.The16-25RailcardcanbepurchasedattheticketcounterinanyoftherailstationsinLondon.YoumustbringapassportphotoandIDalongwithyouwhenpurchasingthecard.Makesureyouallowseveralminutesofextra time to fillout thepaperworkbeforeyour first journey. Ifyou travelwithyourfamily,considergettingaFamily&FriendsRailcard.AnotheroptionistopurchaseaBritRailpass.ThereareavarietyoftypesofpassesthatallowyoutotravelviatrainwithinEnglandatconsiderablesavings.Faresmayvarydependingonwhattimeofyearyoubuyitandwhichmonthsyouplantotravel.CheckbothNationalRailandBritRail.comfordealsandspecialoffersonfares.Checkwellinadvancetogetthebestdeal.

OtherTravel

TheEurostarhighspeedtraincantakeyoufromLondon’sSt.PancrasstationtoParisin2hoursand15minutesortoBrusselsinjustonehourand50minutes.Thetraintravelsatspeedsofalmost200milesperhour.SearchthewebsitefordealsandrememberthatthetraindropsyouintoParisorBrussels,whereastheairportrequiresadditionaltransportationtogetintothecities.

TheEurostaralsooffersmanyhighspeedconnectionstootherEuropeancitiesfromBrussels

andParis. Forexample,atraintoAmsterdamwithahighspeedconnectioninBrusselstakesthesameamountof timeasadirect flight. Oneadvantageof travelingby train is theconvenienceofarriving near the center of your destination city as opposed to many airports which requireadditional travel from the outskirts of town. Trains also offer much more generous baggagerestrictionscomparedtotheextremelystrictregulationsofdiscountairlinesstudentsthatoftenuse.

AnothergreatoptionfortraveloverlongerdistancesarebudgetairlinessuchaseasyJetand

Ryanair.Thesefaresarecheaperifyoucanplanahead.

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TelephoneandMailServices

UsingthetelephoneinLondonisrelativelyexpensive.Therearechargesevenforlocalcalls.

Studentslivinginprogramhousingneedacallingcardtomakeanycallsfromthelandlineintheirflats. (These cards are available online from a variety of vendors or from local corner shops(bodegas).)

Prepaid(“PayAsYouGo”or“PAYG”)mobilephonesarefarmorepopularintheUKthanin

theUS.Mostformerstudentsofthesemester-longprogramboughtpay-as-you-gomobilephones.YoucanbuysuchaphoneinLondonfromahighstreetretailer,ifyouwishtopurchaseaphoneforthedurationoftheprogram.Ifyoupurchaseapay-as-yougophone,youcanbuy“top-up”(phonecredit)atmostgrocerystoresornewsstandsorviaabankATM.Shoparoundforthebestratesonyourserviceprovider. Orange,Vodafone,O2andVirginoffersalesandserviceplansandmostofthesemainstreamproviderscanbefoundonOxfordStreetneartheFSUCenter.OtherdealerslikeCarPhoneWarehousecarryavarietyofserviceprovidersandcanhelpyoucompareaccordingtoyourneeds.

ManystudentsfoundthattheirUKphonewasgoodforreceivingcalls,andfortexting,and

forcallingUKnumbers. Forstudentswith iPhonesorother internetaccessiblephones, themaincellularcarriershaveinternetoptionsthatshouldbeexploredtopreventhugeinternationalroamingordatacharges.

Manycompaniesofferinternationalplans,soaskaboutratestotheUS.Ifyouplantotravel

outsideoftheUKandwantyourmobiletowork,inquireastowhetheryouwillgetserviceinforeigncountries.Alsochecktoseewhatitcoststosendtextmessages.Manystudentsusethisasthesoleformofcommunicationfromtheirmobilesbecauseitismuchlessexpensivethanmakingaphonecall.ItisalsopossibletosendtextmessagestoUScellularphonenumbers,althoughthesearemuchmoreexpensivethanlocaltextmessages.

Tip:TheinternationalcallingcodefortheUnitedStatesis001(thendialtheareacodeandphonenumber).TheinternationalcallingcodeforthosecallingLondonfromtheUSis011,countrycode44,anddropthefirst0fromthenumber.Example:ifyournumberinLondonis02074393651,thenpeoplecallingfromtheUSwoulddial011442074393651.

Tip:Whileyoucanopttobringyourcellphonefromhome,beawarethat mobile phone sellers in London are plentiful and relativelyinexpensive.BesurethatyourUSphoneusesSIMcardtechnologyandthatthephoneis“unlocked.”YoumaybeabletogetyourcurrentUScellularcarrierto“unlock”yourcellphonesoyoucanpurchaseaSIMcard from a UK carrier and use your existing phone on a new planoverseas.

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MoststudentsrelyonSkype,GoogleTalk,YahooMessenger,MSNInstantMessenger,orotherservicestocommunicatewithfriendsandfamilyintheUSoverabroadbandconnection.Thewi-fiaccessintheFSUStudyCentreisgenerallygood.

Shipping

ShippingpackagesbacktotheUScanbeexpensiveandunreliable.CheckwithinternationalshippingcompaniesbeforegoingtoapostofficeinLondon.StudentshavehadgoodluckusingMailBoxesEtc.onGreatRussellStreet.Someofthecompaniesrunspecialsfromtimetotime.Onewaytoavoidmostshippingcharges is to leaveplentyofroomin the luggageyoubring toLondon forthingsyouwanttobringhome.

Computers&StudyingThe FSU Study Centre has good computer facilities. Two rooms are devoted solely to

computeruseandareavailableona24-hourbasis. Additional computersare locatedwithin thelibrary (during regular library hours). Word processing and web access are included in yourprogramfee.FSUhaswirelessinternetserviceavailableinallroomsintheCentre,soyoucanaccesstheinternetwithyourownlaptopcomputeranywhereinthebuilding.Wirelessaccesswasgoodin2017, though a good connection is not always available in every part of the building. The labcomputersareconnectedtoprinters/scanners,andeachstudentisallowedunlimitedprinting.TheFSUlibrarysellscopycardsaswell.

Ifyoudecidetobringalaptop,includeyourcomputerinyourcarry-onbag.Alsokeepinmind

thatyoudonothavelockersorstoragespaceattheFSUCentre,soyouwillhavetocarryyourlaptopatalltimes.Inthepastfewyears,studentshavehadlaptopsstolen,soalwayskeepyourlaptopwithyou,andfrequentlybackupyournotesonathumbdriveortheinternet.Also,forthosewhorelyonyourcomputersforclassnotes,beawarethatdesktopspaceintheclassroommaybelimitedinsomeclasses.Note:Foryourrequiredshortpapersandfinalexamyoumayuselaptopcomputers.

Tip:Toreceivepackagesand/ormailwhileinLondon,sendthemto: FSUStudyCenter 99GreatRussellStreet LondonWC1B3LA EnglandStaff will be available to sign for packages at all times. A list of allpackagesisrecordedinabookavailableatthefrontdeskasyouenter.However,theFSUCentredoesNOTacceptFederalExpresspackagesforstudents.

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Converters

British appliances run on a different electric voltage (240) thanwe use in the US (110).ConvertersandadapterplugsareneededtooperateelectricalappliancesfromtheStates.USstoreslikeRadioShack,OfficeDepot,Wal-Mart,Target,BestBuy,andtravelorluggagestoreshaveadapterstosuityourneeds.Trytofindan“all-in-one”converterthatadaptstoalltheworld’soutlets.ThiswillmakeiteasiertotravelincontinentalEurope,astheyhavedifferentoutletsthaninEngland.Youcan also wait to purchase adapter plugs after you arrive in London. You will find inexpensiveadaptersavailableat theairportandmanyplaces inLondon, suchasAngelmarket. Manyhighvoltageelectricapplianceslikeblowdryersandcurlingironswillblowoutevenwhenproperadaptersareused.Itisprobablyadvisabletoleavethesetypesofappliancesathome,ortobuydual-voltageappliances.

HealthCare

As the UK is a National Health Service country,medical care is very inexpensive for Britishtaxpayers.GenerallyAmericanstudentswillhavetopayformedicalcare,whichmaybeonlyslightlyless thanwhat theywouldpay in theUnitedStates. If youhave abona fidemedical emergency,generally the “Accident and Emergency Department” of a hospital (sometimes called “A&E” andsometimescalled“Casualty”)(theEmergencyRoominU.S.hospitals)willtreatyouwithoutcharge.However,ithastobeagenuineemergency,oryouwillbeturnedawayandtoldtogotoaregularphysician.

StudentshaverecommendedtryingtolocateaNHS(NationalHealthService)doctors’surgery

orpracticemedical centre rather thanvisitahospitalAccidentandEmergencyDepartment. TheconsultationandanyteststhatneedtobedoneatNHSgeneralpractitioners’surgeriesarefreeofcharge. However, if the doctor prescribes a medication, then you will usually need to pay a“prescription charge” fee (currently £8.40 per item) to collect the medication from the chemist(pharmacist).

Therearemanywalk-inmedicalclinics(“surgeries”)inLondon.NearesttheFSUCentreis

TheMuseumPractice(58GreatRussellStreet,020-7405-2739,walk-inhoursMonday-Friday9am-11am). Youwill receive additionalmedical providers’ contact information at orientation. Also,pharmacistsinLondonoffermoreextensiveservicesthanintheUS.Ifyoufeelill,youmaywanttoconsult with one of them, who will recommend a medication for you. You can obtain many

Tip: Mostmodern laptopcomputersonly requireanadapter plugbecausetheyautomaticallyconverttothechange involtage,butyoushould check the input specificationsprintedonyour laptop’spowersupply(100-240visanacceptablerange).YoumaypurchaseaUKstyleplug end cord segment for your laptop’s power cord online or uponarrivalatanyelectronicsstoreonnearbyTottenhamCourtRdfor3-5pounds.Checktoseeifyourequirea3pinor2pinmodel.

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medicationsfromthechemistwithoutaprescription.Takenotethatitmaybedifficulttofindyourfavoritemedications (suchasAdvil,Nyquil, oryour idealdecongestantorallergymedication), sostockupbeforeyouleave.

NoteonCrimeandSafety

Terrorism remains a worldwide potential problem, and there is currently a US StateDepartmentglobalworldwidecautionforallAmericans,aswellasatravelalertforEurope.

Forup-to-dateinformationabouttravelandsecurityconditionsintheUK,consulttheState

Departmentwebsite.IftheStateDepartmentissuesanalertorwarningapplicablebeforeorduringthe program, the program will notify all participants. If a student withdraws prior to thecommencementoftheprogramduetoanalertorwarning,thestudentwillreceiveafullrefundofallmoniesadvancedwithintwentydaysoftheirwithdrawal.Ifastudentwithdrawsduringthecourseoftheprogramduetoanalertorwarning,oriftheprogramisterminated,studentswillberefundedfeespaid.

MostAmericansareamazedtonotethelargenumberofsecuritycamerasalloverLondononvirtuallyeverystreetcornerandcoveringalmostalldoorentrances.Therearemanyunseencamerasaswell.Nevertheless,pleasebeawareofyoursurroundings. As inanybigcity,purseandwalletsnatchersareeverywhereand looking fortherightopportunity. Severalyearsago,onestudent’swifehadherpursestolenatarestaurantthefirstnighttheywereinLondon.Over$400wastakenandtheyhadtoresolveover$4000worthofchargesontheirstolencreditcards. Theprocessofgettingnewcardsanddealingwiththechargestooknearlytwomonths.

Thievesarelikelytotargetpeopleinpubsandclubs,becausedrinkingtendstomakepeople

morecarelessandlessawareofwhatisgoingon.Caution:ifyouspendtimeinpubs,beverycarefulwithyourbelongings. Onestudenthadhisbackpackstolenwhileinapubinplainsightofotherprogramstudents.Helosthiscomputercontainingallthreeyearsofhisclassnotes,researchpapers,photos,etc.Althoughpolicewereabletoreviewtapesinthepubandseetheactualtheft,theywerenotabletotrackdowntheculprit!

Pursesandwalletsshouldalwaysbecarriedclosetoyourperson.Somestudentspurchasea

pacsafebag,whichisslashproof.Forsafety,keepadditionalcopiesofyourpassportandcreditcardinformationavailableinaseparateplacesotheymaybecancelledand/orreplacedpromptly.TheprogramdirectorwillkeepanextracopyofyourpassportintheLLCofficeifyouprovideherwithacopy. Additionally, it might not be wise to carry your passport on your person unless you aretravelingoutsideoftheUKorneedtogototheUSEmbassy.Itisagoodideatokeepyourpassport,extracreditcardsordebitcardsandsomecashhiddenawayinasafeplaceathome.Thatway,ifyoudogetrobbed,youwillhavesomethingtofallbackon.

At home, keep valuables locked in a cabinet or hidden from plain view. PLEASE LEAVE

VALUABLEJEWELRYINTHEU.S.!!!TheInternationalStudentIDcardwillreimburseyouforcertainlostpassportexpenses.Lookatwww.isiccard.comforfurtherinformation.

PersonalsecurityitemssuchasmaceorpeppersprayareillegalinLondonandtheUK.Many

pocketknivesarealsoillegal(onestudentalmostgotarrestedforcarryinga1½inchkeychainpocketknifeinLondonbecauseithadalockingbladeandwasthereforeclassifiedasan“illegaloffensive

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weapon”).Also,checkcarefullythecurrentveryrestrictiveairportsecurityrules,sothatyourtripwillnotbecomplicatedordelayedbyinappropriatecarry-onobjects.