Best Experience of my life. Past Review
By Brittany W (Communications, University of Hartford) - abroad from 08/30/2015 to 12/19/2015 with
API (Academic Programs International): Florence - Lorenzo de’ Medici – The Italian International Institute (LDM)
I learned that traveling the world is amazing because, you get to open your eyes up to a different view on life and different cultures.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was not too difficult, and the teachers were great. I only didn't like that they did not have any office hours. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Yes, I had to go to the hospital a few times and my program advisors were very helpful and the hospital was easy to find. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
Traveling every weekend was very difficult to budget my spending because, University of Hartford did not prepare me on that. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50-$100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Yes, make sure to set a limit for each week including the expenses of wanting to travel all around Europe, and it will make it easier for you to know how much money you are spending. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
I had to take a beginners class in Italian. |
| 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. |
| 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? | Try to speak to waiters/waitresses in Italian and to your friends to keep the language fresh in your mind. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The amount of money that I could have saved for studying abroad. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
