La Bella Italia Past Review
By Paige W (Italian Studies, University of California - Davis) - abroad from 08/24/2015 to 12/12/2015 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Florence, Italy
I gained everything. I learned about myself, about people, about the world. I would not have changed this experience for anything in the world.
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. |
The CEA staff were incredible, kind, and helpful in every way! The professors were knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their respective classes, and I enjoyed every second of my time in Florence! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
AMAZING! All of the administrators were so caring and really wanted all of their students to succeed academically and grow personally, while also having fun! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Beautiful apartment, a few problems with the wifi but CEA staff was quick to fix any problems. |
| * Food: |
Italy? Come on, the food was AMAZING!!! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt completely immersed in Italian culture. The course field trips only expanded our cultural reach and helped us integrate into everyday Italian life. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no experience with any healthcare while abroad, but I was confident that any healthcare needs I could have had would be met with no problems. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in Florence. During orientation, we were given several suggestions to keep safe in Italy, and following those guidelines kept me perfectly safe. |
| 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) |
I lived easily on a student budget, but I wanted to do so much shopping! Florence has incredible stores and the city is known for its leather work, so that was the most expensive part of the trip. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent around $75 a week on all my food, etc. |
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 |
I was always encouraged to speak in Italian, and the internship I completed there was solely in Italian because none of the people I worked with spoke any English! I learned and improved my language skills immensely. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 2 years of Italian language courses |
| 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? | Get out there and SPEAK IT! |
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? | 10+ |
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? | It will change your life. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Gender as a Social COnstruct |
| Course Department: | Gender Studies |
| Instructor: | Carla Fronteddu |
| Instruction Language: | ENglish |
| Comments: | The teacher was very knowledgeable and always well prepared. She encouraged all kinds of questions and curiosity, and was always willing to help after class or recommend outside resources. The class challenged me to think in new ways, and the professor really helped all of the students to become feminists in our own ways. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No problems at all! |
