Florence trip = Awesome! Past Review
By Catherine P (University of Florida) - abroad from 02/02/2012 to 04/27/2012 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Florence, Italy
My time abroad has opened my eyes to the world and the knowledge it has to offer. I gained more of an appreciation for the Italian culture and also for the environment.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academics were great! I loved that my professors had a passion for their work. It encouraged me to work hard. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Staff in Florence was amazing! I love and miss them all! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was great! My apartment was neat and clean. I liked that it was close to the city center too. |
| * Food: |
We had to cook our own food,k but there were endless restaurants to try. Plus, everything tasted great! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I liked that we lived among other Italians. It forced me to speak Italian a little bit. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I lived in a safe neighborhood and the CAPA staff advised us on current issues happening in the city (i.e. bus/train strikes). As with other cities around the world, even here in America, it is important to remember to be cautious of your surroundings. I encourage using the buddy system, especially when visiting new places. I'm not saying that the city wasn't safe, but anything can happen and it's better to be smart. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I splurged a bit but I tried to spend about $100/week. Budgeting is easy though, so if you need to spend less money then this, it's absolutely doable. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If traveling outside of Florence is a must for you, I suggest saving up money for those trips. You should definitely eat out in Florence, but cook at home more. That way, you have enough money to travel comfortably on weekends. |
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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | The closer you are to the city center, the more people speak English. Nonetheless, I suggest practicing your Italian in the market or at your local butcher shop. Also, travel further from the city center and engage in conversation with people there because chances are, their command of the English language is more limited. This will force you to speak Italian |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | nothing, I felt prepared for the trip. Anything i did not know, I was not worried about. Plus, I like surprises. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
