Best Decision of my Life Past Review
By Gabriella M (Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management, Indiana University - Bloomington) - abroad from 01/19/2015 to 04/17/2015 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Florence, Italy
Studying abroad gave me a new outlook on life and adventure. I really saw what I was made of when I was abroad, was able to come out of my comfort zone to experience so many incredible things. Now that I'm home, I use lessons I have learned while abroad every day and could not be happier that I did it.
Review Photos
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. |
As far as rigor goes, nothing was too complicated - however class did challenge me. This made it easy to pay attention and feel useful in class, without feeling to stressed or unintelligent. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The CAPA Program had incredible kindness and their ability to help was wonderful. I instantly felt at home at CAPA and they were incredibly helpful with everything I needed to adjust to life overseas. They provided options to travel with very helpful and friendly guides, whom made everything a fun time. I could not have felt more comfortable at CAPA, which I think it so important being so far away from home. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in an apartment with three other girls and loved it! We had a lot of space and a large terrace where we were able to lay in the sun when it was nice out! However, my apartment was at least a 20 minute walk from school and the city center. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but definitely caused some inconvenience for me. |
| * Food: |
Italy has the best food in the world. Hands down. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
CAPA provided so many ways to become integrated with the culture in Florence, from afternoon walks to show us the best restaurants to hikes in the Fiesole Hills which look over the entire city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I fortunately didn't incur any health problems, however I was informed about my options. |
| * Safety: |
I felt incredibly safe in Florence, and was rarely scared. We were also pretty prepared with safety guidelines and what to expect while out and about in Florence. |
| 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) |
It was hard to live in a place where I didn't have a steady income, however with budgeting and smart spending, I was able to do most of the things I wanted to do and live pretty well too. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50-60 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Keep a budget on Excel! It helped me keep track of where my money was going. When taking out cash of an ATM take a hefty amount so you don't incur too many fees. (Or have a card with no International fees). Spend money on experiences! It's so much more valuable. Buy meaningful souvenirs - not silly ones. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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? |
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 wish I knew more about how classes worked and signing up worked, but nothing was too much to handle. |
