Perugia: Il Cuore di Italia ed Io Past Review
By Iyvon E (International and Global Studies, Brandeis University) for
Arcadia: ISI Perugia - The Umbra Institute
Besides improving in my Italian skills I learned more about myself. I learned a bit more about budgeting money,being more responsible for my well-being and compromising since I lived on my own for 7 weeks. My experience was amazing and I can not wait to get back to Perugia after I graduate.
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. |
I had a great experience with my teacher. Classes were fun and interactive. My class reviewed grammar that we had learned previously in our own university's Italian language classes. Exams and compositions were graded fairly and our teacher personally went over the answers and mistakes that we made. The workload was very manageable. I spent about an hour or two completing grammar exercises and writing compositions. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was great. The people were really nice and helpful whenever I needed help with something. The administration also planned really great cultural programs for us, such as pizza making and pasta-making on a farm. My only issue is that I had trouble getting the emails since I was not placed on the program's listserve so sometimes I missed important emails. Luckily, through word of mouth I heard about these events and was still able to participate. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived 4 minutes away from class and about 5 minutes away from the local bars and clubs and about 5 minutes from two supermarkets. My apartment was a great location because nothing was ever to far away and the walk down Corsa Vennuci was always pleasant. |
| * Food: |
The food in Italy was of course AMAZING. If you go to Perugia and you want amazing pizza I suggest Pizza Mediterranea, which has great pizza and lots of toppings. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program organized a pizza making event for us to go to. I had a blast making pizza and it tasted great! Then our whole class got free pizzas for dinner. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never ran into safety issues or had any health issues. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced Italian with my teacher and with the locals I met. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you are looking for freedom, fun and a great chance to practice your Italian, Perugia is the best place to go. Although Perugia is a city, it is smaller than the touristy cities like Rome and Florence (which are both 2 hours away by train or bus, which is great because you see locals you have already met and still have a great chance to meet new ones. Perugia is just perfect if you want that experience. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Intensive Italian Language and Culture |
| Course Department: | Italian 311 |
| Instructor: | Francesco Ghardeni |
| Instruction Language: | Italian |
| Comments: | I absolutely loved this course!And I learned so much about Italian language and Italian culture. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I have yet to transfer my credits. |
