Tuscan Summer August 27, 2025
By A student (Art History and International and Global Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 05/29/2025 to 07/26/2025 with
CET Siena
I feel that it was worthwhile just for the fact that I now feel proficient in a second language. There were also aspects of it that challenged me and helped me learn more about myself even when it wasn't super fun.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
It's Italy you can't get much better. Also prices for food were surprisingly cheap compared to prices in US cities. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I think level of local integration depends greatly on the type of host family/apartment you have. I participated in several cultural events but didn't necessarily feel like an insider, which is also dependent on the general culture of the destination of study abroad. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't experience any health emergencies so I don't feel informed enough to give a credible rating. |
| * Safety: |
Siena is very safe, especially compared to other big cities in Italy. It has a much more residential feel but has a thriving night life. There will be other people out on the street with you at any time of day/night, especially in the summer. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was exactly what I was looking for academically. It gave me both the credits that I needed and the actual skills and academic interest that I was hoping for. |
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) |
Budgeting is highly dependent on how much personal travel students do. If you stay in the city, are careful with where you eat/how much you cook you can stick to a relatively tight budget, but travel and places to stay are very expensive on a student's budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about $160 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at cheap places on the day to day- the food is still really good in Italy no matter what. Save on the little things so that you feel more comfortable spending money on experiences. Take the bus instead of the train (depends regionally). |
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 used the language a lot, but because the majority of the other students on my program were beginners at the language, there was less use of it socially than I might have liked. |
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Italian 3 |
| 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? | Use words here and there even if you can't speak fluidly; it will still help with language retention. |
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? | You're never going to feel like you're doing enough, and if you do it's because you're doing too much. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Sienese Art and Architecture |
| Course Department: | Art History |
| Instructor: | Silvia Giorgi |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Extremely knowledgeable instructor and interesting field trips every class. Writing and class collaboration were enjoyable and in-person viewing of art was an invaluable addition to any art history education. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
