Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The best time of my life Past Review

By (University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 01/23/2012 to 05/12/2012 with

API (Academic Programs International): Florence - Lorenzo de’ Medici – The Italian International Institute (LDM)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a respect for other cultures and to be more confident in myself.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

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 were paid attention to your surroundings and didn't put yourself in risky situations such as a night club, then overall it was a pretty safe environment

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? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $30-50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Just know what your spending your money on and don't limit yourself on going on trips if it's something you want to do. There has to be a balance.

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? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? none. Unfortunately UW-L does not offer Italian even though there are quite a few students that study abroad in Italy
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? I bought rosetta stone Italian and that helped to get a start on knowing the language.

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
  • International Students
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?
  • That there were trips included in the cost which very nice. They were well organized and allowed me to see parts of cities I would not have normally seen.
* What could be improved?
  • The apartments could have been a little better.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I would have liked to know a little more about surrounding cities of Florence.