This page offers students who are interested in the Texas State to Canterbury Program and students who have already signed up, advice from alumni, based on their experiences.

If I Were You, I'd.....

....Do your own dishes in your flat - don't expect your room mates to do your dishes.

...Buy a watch! Keeping track of time is key when it comes to public transportation

....Take any chance you can get and explore. Don't worry about getting lost or turned around - that's half the fun of it

....Don't be afraid to do things on your own. You can meet some of the most interesting people sitting on the train or in a pub!

...watch what you buy - their food goes bad faster than ours

...Get a britrail pass!! Best money I spent!!

...I'd make sure you do what YOU want to do and take in every moment and opportunity you are given. Explore explore explore!

...buy the insurance that comes with your train pass. If you lose your tain pass, you can get a new one. If you don't have the insurance, you have to pay for individual tickets.

...put more money on your Oyster Card for the Tube than you think you'll need the first time you top up - you'll use AT LEAST 10 pounds for your excursions alone, and more if you go to London on your own for sightseeing. Think it's expensive? Think about how much you'll probably spend on beer. A pound and a half to cross a huge metropolis is a bargain. And no, you cannot share an Oyster card - the way they work DOES NOT ALLOW THAT, because you must tap in AND out in order to have your fare debited....Waiting for 25 people to top up/buy individual Tube tickets every time we went on an excursion was the one truly irritating experience I had on this trip.

...Be adventurous. Yes, you're in a foreign country, but EVERYBODY SPEAKS ENGLISH. This means that as long as you're polite, you should be able to get help with directions and other information everywhere you go. Without breaking the law or endangering yourself, the worst thing you can do is go home regretting what you didn't do while in England.

...take the McGees' advice and buy a Britrail pass before you leave Texas. I spent way too much money on individual tickets.

...definitely go to Paris. It was the most beautiful weekend ever.

...remember to turn electrical outlet switches on before you try to use them. If you don't, there's no power and you'll think you blew up your computer.

...go to Abbey Road in London and take your picture like the Beatles walking across the street. It's a busy street so don't get hit by a car when you try to take your picture. There's also a webcam there, so call home before you go so your mom can see you on the webcam.

...do as much of your schoolwork before you leave as possible. Your professors give you your syllabus in early June. Do as much work as you can before you leave so you have more free time when you get there. I wish I'd have done all my readings in June.

...bring your laptop and download your books onto your laptop. Then you can read them in Canterbury without having to pack big textbooks.

...call your mom regularly so she doesn't call the McGees looking for you.

...remember your train pass every time you go to the station. If not, you'll be worried you'll have to buy an extra ticket on the train.

...drink Strongbow Cider

...plan your free time travel ahead of time, not at the last minute as you're trying to head to the airport.

...try not to lose your passport.

...buy a street map for London, and Paris and Rome and wherever else you're going. Sometimes they have them free at hostels, your hotel or the information offices in the cities. Get one or you'll get lost.

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