Reflections on Studying Abroad in London

By Meghan Lower, sophomore EC Scholar

“No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” – Samuel Johnson

In preparation for my study abroad trip, I had no indication of what the United Kingdom would be like, or any other country for that matter. I had never traveled off of the east coast before, nonetheless the United States. I visited the great city of London for two weeks to study public health. The main aim of the course was to learn about the United Kingdom’s healthcare delivery system so that it then could be analyzed and compared to that of the United States. While in London, we met with multiple organizations such as Public Health England and the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre11 to hear about the ways of operations for their public health system.

Throughout my trip, I learned a lot about the healthcare system in the United Kingdom, better known as the National Health Service (NHS). There are many aspects of the NHS that differ from the healthcare system here in the United States, with the biggest difference being in the funding of the program. The NHS is funded by money received from an income tax that is implemented on the whole population; there are two different tax brackets for the income tax depending on the amount an individual makes. In return, the majority of healthcare services are free to all people, with only a few exceptions. Hearing the basis of their system was simply astonishing; this system is the epitome of what some people here in the United States are trying to avoid, but instead it works almost seamlessly in the United Kingdom.

During the time that I was in London, there was a lot of public news and campaigning in regards to the referendum for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, or better known as “Brexit.” I received a unique perspective on the United Kingdom by seeing both sides of the referendum and how staying or leaving would affect the country. The referendum affected virtually every aspect of the United Kingdom, including government, healthcare, and trade.

Aside from learning about the healthcare system of the United Kingdom, the other half of our course was to learn about the British people and culture by visiting historical and cultural sites in London and nearby cities. I was able to do so much while in London, ranging from tours of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Chelsea soccer stadium to the Queen’s 90^th birthday parade at Buckingham Palace. I also was able to visit the Prime Meridian in Greenwich where I was able to stand in two hemispheres at once.

I am beyond grateful for this opportunity that was given to me by East Carolina University and the EC Scholars program; it was truly a trip of a lifetime!