Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Fleeting Florence Past Review

By (Neurobiology, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 06/10/2013 to 07/18/2013 with

Arcadia: Florence - Accademia Italiana Florence

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to be more independent and how to adapt to different cultures. DEFINITELY worth it.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It is not academically rigorous--there is not a lot of outside work in either the Photography or the Michelangelo course. Yet, both of these classes were very experience-based. I loved that we went to museums (costs covered by the school) every class to see all the different works Michelangelo had around the city. The one drawback was how expensive the Photography course was; we had to buy a lot of materials.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration was very helpful--if we ever had a question, they promptly responded to our needs.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved the area our apartment was in, and even though it was eight girls living together, it was a very enjoyable experience. It was a little difficult because there was only four fans in the whole apartment at first, and it took at least a month before we got in two extra fans for the apartment.

* Food:

How could there be a negative to the food in Italy??

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I made an effort to speak Italian and go out, but because we hung out with each other (Americans), it was not always easy to integrate with society. Whenever I explored by myself, I felt myself blending in a lot more.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not deal with the healthcare system, but my roommate did. She waited in the ER for four hours and still was not seen.

* Safety:

Florence is VERY safe. It's a walking city, so you walk everywhere, but it's wonderful. You don't have to be scared. I would advise against walking alone by yourself at 3 AM in the morning just because I would advise that anywhere, though. Also, Florence did not have too many pickpockets that I encountered, but they exist! (Rome and Paris are the WORST about pickpocketing.) Be aware when you're walking around.

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)

Life in Italy was EXPENSIVE--dollar is weaker than the Euro. I had to eat so many meals at home because I couldn't afford to eat out very often.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around $500/week (but that was because I traveled during the weekends) If I just stayed in Florence, it was $250.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan your excursions beforehand so you can get cheap tickets. Avoid the group deals to visit Paris or Barcelona---it's cheaper on your own. :D

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No
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

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?
  • Culture
  • Food
  • New friends
* What could be improved?
  • Costs
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that it was okay to simply take a day off and enjoy the city. I feel like I started off so stressed that because I was studying abroad I had to make the most of every minute and I wouldn't relax.

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 Urbanite
A 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.