THE MOST AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, UNFORGETTABLE TIME OF MY LIFE! Past Review
By Jessica K (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 06/08/2012 to 07/21/2012 with
Arcadia: Florence - Accademia Italiana Florence
It was very worthwhile. I learned the language, how to get around different language and culture barriers, and how to deal with people in different ways.
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. |
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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? |
It was very easy to find the location I needed to go to and the doctor was very accommodating. |
| * Safety: |
Traveling/exploring the city in groups if obviously the best idea, but I ran errands and shopped around by myself and felt very safe. |
| 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) |
If your smart and how/when you choose to spend your money, it is very easy to stay on your budget. The hardest part was having other people in the program who would want to go out to eat on a normal basis. If you can't afford to eat out all the time, don't get pressured into thinking you need to go out with them all the time. Also, don't be afraid to go out to eat with them for the company and not order something if you can't afford it! |
| * 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? | $100-$200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Figure out how much money you are willing/able to spend for the duration of your trip and divide it by how many weeks so you can budget yourself. You can even go so far to split it up between the weekdays and the weekends. (If you are going on weekend trips it is harder not to eat out, or if you are wanting to buy souvenirs) For weekend trips if you want to save some money, go to the grocery store and bring your own snacks! |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 4 semesters of Spanish |
| 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 use it in stores! The workers appreciate you trying and they are actually a lot nicer if you try than if you start off by asking if they speak English! |
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? |
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? | There is no air-conditioning! Bring more clothes than less (If you have room in your suitcase!) |
