Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An eye opening once in a life time kind of adventure Past Review

By (Benedictine College) - abroad from 08/23/2015 to 11/20/2015 with

Benedictine College: Florence - Semester Program in Florence, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that the world is my playground :P

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.

Pretty much just philosophy was challenging at times but the others were fairly easy

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Definitely felt locked in the Villa at times because of my class schedule being so spread out throughout the day that we had free time but not enough to leave to go into town

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Including travel on average $120
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Research countries that are affordable to visit. I visited 3 countries that I wanted to see on 3 different weekends for the same price that many friends spent visiting Paris for a few days.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
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? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
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? Take rosettastone for a couple months before hand.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The villa staff
  • The freedom to go wherever
  • The adventure and spiritual components of the trip
* What could be improved?
  • Allow for more time during the week for the students to get out into town
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The gelato makes you fat

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.