Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I discovered myself in Padova Past Review

By (Clinical Psychology, Tufts University) for

Boston University: Padua - Italian and European Studies Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This may sound a little cliché but I definitely grew and became a more complete person in Padova. I've become more out-going, responsible and better at interacting with my life.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: University of Padova
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was reasonable and allowed me enough time to explore Padova. It was a good mix between academics and learning about the culture and having fun. It was a little difficult to take classes at the University of Padova, but definitely worth it. The classes at the BU center are taught in Italian, which was good from a language immersion point of view. My university class was relatively similar to an American university class, but most of my friends had only oral exams.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They did a good job placing people with host families. They gave some resources about the country and having the office was a good resource. They didn't do a good job facilitating taking courses at the University of Padova. The food stipend was helpful.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

I'm a vegetarian and I was always completely satisfied. If you're looking for cheap delicious pizza, Passione Pizza is a must. Mandrillo was right under my house and their pizza is super thin and amazing. It costs a little more than Passione but it's worth it once in a while. If you're looking for something fancy, La Vecchia Enoteca is really great, and Antonio Ferrari is very cool and unique.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The trips out of town were a good experience.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt really safe .

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? There was a food stipend which helped, although unless you are very thrifty it will not cover your entire food expenses. (Especially if you drink, I had friends who would spend their entire food stipend on alcohol in the first week or two of the month)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't drink so much, it's not necessary, I spent very little on alcohol and still had a great time.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
Language acquisition improvement?

One of the most important things was the fact that I had a homestay, and that I did my best to use Italian as much as possible. Many people spoke english but since Padova is not as touristy it was not difficult to speak Italian. In Venice it was difficult to speak Italian because they are used to having tourists.

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Homestay
* What could be improved?
  • Facilitation of University classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Never stay at home and do what you'd do in the States. There's so much to experience and so little time. You'll get more out of the program if you have more language skills but you can do fine if you have only a few semesters.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Topics in Italian Music
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: It was relatively challenging, the teacher was very knowledgeable and engaged in the class. We had a field trip to see an opera in Venice, which was amazing.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Italian Cinema
Course Department:
Instructor: Giulia Lavarone
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: It was challenging mostly because I'm not good at history and memorizing dates. The teacher is very passionate and friendly, and very available to help. We went on a trip to the pre-cinema museum in Padova which was very interesting and unique.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Clinical Psychology
Course Department:
Instructor: Caterina Novara
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: This class was difficult because it was at the University of Padova, and I took the course with hundreds of other students for whom italian was a first language. I did well and am proud of myself for having done it, and it was one of the best parts of the experience because i got to see how it was to be an actual italian university student. The class was structured around a lot of class participation which was strange because it meant we lost a lot of class time.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Italian Stylistics
Course Department:
Instructor: Claudia Baldelli
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: It was an interesting course in which I learned a lot of the more complex mechanisms of the Italian language. It was a lot of work because it took place in the intensive month; basically a semester's work squished into a month-long course
Credit Transfer Issues: The class didn't count for my italian major only because I had already taken a similar class.