Multo Multo Bene!!! Past Review
By Catherine Francois (Benedictine College) - abroad from 01/26/2016 to 04/14/2016 with
Benedictine College: Florence - Semester Program in Florence, Italy
I grew through this experience in ways that I did not expect. I stretched myself in planning trips on my own, and became more confident with my own abilities and life-skills. I became closer to my friends through this experience, and bonded with new people I had not known very well before. My worldview has also changed from experiencing different people and culture. I see american art differently know that I have seen European art. I have more understanding for immigrants and tourists from other countries who do not speak English very well.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I loved the Italian course and the Theology course! They were both challenging enough, yet doable in a study abroad environment. I felt the history class lacked depth and rigor. I like the content, but the format seemed rushed. I think that european history is an important component to a program in Italy, but it was hard to absorb and learn the material when the class only met one day per week for such a long time. If it had been split over two days, I think we would have all gotten more out of the class. |
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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? |
The Villa was a wonderful place to live! The staff were all so friendly, and if anyone had any issue at all they were always ready and wiling to find a way to accommodate us! |
| * Food: |
The food was delicious, and there was always too much of it! It was so much better than the food back on campus in Atchison. |
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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? |
I did not have any health problems while abroad. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe. There was a terrorist attack in Brussels shortly before spring break, and the administrators of the program made sure to know where everyone was going for break, and a contact number for them. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved the experience of a small community of students in Florence. I feel that the smaller community helped me to distill many friendships that I had begun back at school. I loved getting to know the professor and his family, as they lived and ate with us. I also like the classes offered by the Benedictine Program, as they fulfilled my language general education requirement in one semester. I also feel that this one semester was a much more genuine exposure to a language than two semesters of traditional classes would have been. The staff, professors, and administrators at Villa Morghen were wonderful. They really put their whole heart and soul into the program, and were very committed to giving us students an enriching experience. I really could not have chosen a better program to study abroad with. |
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) |
I spent approximately $2k over the course of the semester. Most of this was spent on weekend trips, souvenirs, etc. Most of your meals are covered by the program, so they are included in the program cost. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Usually under 10 Euro on weekly expenses, not including weekend trips |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan your trips ahead of time. Stay in Airbnb's because usually this comes out cheaper than staying in a hostel, plus you will often have a kitchen. This way you can cook pasta for dinner for very cheap, and then you go to a cafe for breakfast or lunch, which is much cheaper than eating out for dinner. |
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? | 3 years of high school latin |
| 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? | Make an effort to speak with the locals in the language, rather than trying to find someone who speaks English. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 0 |
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? | I felt that Benedictine prepared us well for the program with orientation meetings. I wasn't sure what to expect when I went, but I was more than happy with my experience. |
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. |
