A Life Changing 15 Weeks Past Review

By (California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo) - abroad from 08/28/2018 to 12/15/2018 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Florence, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* 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?

* 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

CEA was the perfect program for me. Both the on and off-site staff were great at keeping students well informed on what was going on locally in Florence and how to best adjust to the culture/immerse yourself in it. They also understood that traveling on the weekends is a huge part of the study abroad experience and made sure that our program requirements didn't take away from that.

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? $100

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? 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? Advanced Spanish
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* 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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Teachers/Staff
  • Housing Location
  • Classes
* What could be improved?
  • Excursion Organization/Time Management
  • Farewell Dinner
  • Housing Conditions
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Some of the best restaurants/places of interest in Florence

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.