3 Cities: The Hardest but Wisest Decision I've Ever Made Past Review
By Katherine S (Athletic Training/Trainer., Kansas State University) for
API (Academic Programs International): Three Cities - Lorenzo de'Medici - The Italian International Institute
I learned so much about myself on this trip. I loved my experience but it was very difficult for me, and that I was not expecting. I am very independent and was not expecting to be homesick. However, I would do it again because of the knoweledge and life experience I gained. Life experience, whether good or bad, is priceless and will only make you stronger. I am a lot more appreciative of my country and friends and family. I still want to remain in my same degree but I realized that I can help so many people even in my own country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was managable. The structure of the classes were different than my host university. At my host university it is more about getting a good grade and my abroad university was more concerned about students understanding ideas and concepts. The teachers also seemed to be a lot more relaxed about the grading system. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
For the three cities program, I felt we recieved the best support from the staff in Tuscania. In Tuscania the teachers and advisors were all very accesible and very willing to help in anything we needed. In Rome we didn't meet with our advisors until a few weeks before we had to leave. They were not as approachable or easy to contact. In Venice we also recieved a lot of support and help from the staff. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our apartments were all very nice. The neighborhoods were all very safe and clean. The farthest commute to school was about 20 mins on the metro or boat, but in Italy this is not bad. All the apartments come furnished so there wasn't any need to buy household items except for groceries and personal items. |
| * Food: |
Eat as much gelato as you can. Go to the cafe's and get a pastry and cappuccino. And try the carbonara and gnocchi! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We took several day trips arranged by the school and program. They were all very fun and worth going on. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Each host city was very safe. You have to be aware that you are in a different country but as long as you practice common sense and don't do anything you wouldn't do in your own country you are fine. I never had an issue with healthcare but the advisors were always willing to help. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about 50 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Things add up very quickly so set a budget and stick to it. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The best way to improve language skills is to practice. I could practice my language best with the locals, at grocery stores, at the school, or out in the town. Even though we were in a non-english speaking country a lot of people could speak English. It is managable to get around without knowing the language. |
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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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? | This particular program would be a good choice for someone that doesn't like to stay in the same place for very long. The classes are at a very rappened pace, so someone who is good with a work load. It's also ideal for people who like to move around a lot. You never really get settled anywhere you move and you are constantly rising to meet new challenges that arise. |
