Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Study Abroad - the best decision I ever made! Past Review

By (Journalism., The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 01/11/2012 to 05/04/2012 with

AIFS: Florence - Richmond in Florence and Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worthwhile. I went into the semester thinking I was going to love it and not want to come home. And that's exactly how I felt at the end. I gained so much more independence and confidence from my travels and studies that I feel a lot more prepared to enter the "real world" post graduation. I also learned how to focus on what I want for my life and to go after it - that being return to Europe as soon as I can! :)

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: Scuola di Lingua Dante Alighieri (Siena) Richmond, The American International University (Florence Study Center)
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you plan to travel a lot, plan your trips ahead of time and budget yourself a certain amount of money for each trip. This will keep you from overspending. Also, cooking more and eating out less helps!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 5 semesters of Italian
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Don't be afraid to try and speak the language; the locals really appreciate the effort! Many will respond to you in English, because it's easier, but keep trying! Eventually you will be speaking the language without having to think about it.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Food was included. We received meal tickets for lots of restaurants and cafes around the city, allowing us to really experience that huge part of the culture.
  • The program always had fun events and trips planned to places we might not have otherwise heard of just searching on our own.
  • I loved volunteering with the local newspaper. It was a great way to be involved in the community and it looks great on my resume!
* What could be improved?
  • I wish there were more interaction with local students. I went to school with the same 180 or so American students everyday; it was too secluded.
  • To knock some expense off the program, I would have been happy with a little less meal tickets to eat out and a little more grocery shopping and cooking on my own.
  • Sometimes I wasn't able to sign up for the activities because there were too few spots and the same people kept signing up each month. It would have been nice to limit that and make sure everyone had a chance.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I would have chosen a home stay! I loved my apartment. It was very nice, but going home every day felt like I was returning to America. Everything was modern, I had all American roommates... it just didn't feel like Italy sometimes. Also, I would have gotten a temporary international bank to save me all the exchange rate and ATM fees!