Being part of this EIL program has been an amazing experience and has taught me much more. Inside the classroom was a great experience that really helped me understand the material because we were covering it every day. I feel very confident in saying that I have learned just as much in those four weeks as I would have in a normal semester long class at UT. Both professors made it a fun and interactive atmosphere and were very approachable when it came to questions or needing help. On the trip we also did multiple “field trips” to museums or to visit important sites in engineering history to learn about their significance and the process of construction. These visits have not only helped us think about the applications of the concepts from class but also why we do what we do and how important it is to the rest of the world. Lastly, these trips helped us think about our engineering perspectives outside the classroom and what we personally want to do and get out of being an engineer.

All the parts of the program that came together to make it what it is are amazing in their own respect; but of all the components that make up the EIL program, I think that working with students from a variety of different majors as well as interacting with engineers from other parts of the world has had the biggest impact on my future engineering aspirations. While at UT, a large majority of the people I work on projects with or have classes with are from the same major as myself but here, I met and was working with students from many other engineering disciplines, and it has helped me to see how different backgrounds look at the same problem and how important it is to work together and be able to communicate. In addition, at all the sites we visited, we spoke with engineers who have worked in the field and on large projects here in the UK, and after speaking with them, I realized how different the needs of a country are depending on its location in the world. This is something that I want to consider moving forward, to try and figure out how to best fit the project to the area where it is located or how to make a project more applicable to many areas of the world to help as many people as possible.

In addition to my studies and the programs required trips, I was able to visit and experience many parts of the city daily. London, like many big cities is comprised of many small neighborhoods, each harboring its on little atmosphere and vibe. Exploring a new neighborhood almost every day and making some lifelong friends along the way was an experience I’ll never forget. We would walk around and sight see, stopping at markets, restaurants, and many other little shops along the way to immerse ourselves in the culture. Studying abroad was truly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

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