Amazing Cultural Immersion Experience Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Despite being in Italian, I did not think that the courses were overly challenging. I felt like I learned a lot, especially from my art history and food science classes, but I also felt like I learned more about the culture and language outside of the classroom. To me, the abroad experience seemed to be more about the daily life and cultural immersion rather than the academic rigor and intensity of the courses, which really allowed me to immerse myself in the culture and language without focusing too hard on studying for my courses themselves.

On-site administration of your program

All 4 directors for this program on site were fantastic. I didn't expect to interact with them very often, but I found myself going to their offices many times just to talk to them. I also know that almost everyone in my program looked forward to program dinners/excursions just so that we could spend more time with them! Not only were they fun to talk to, but they were very helpful and would always go out of their way to do anything you needed and help make you feel comfortable. We went to them with any problems we had, no matter how big or small (academics, host families, personal travel plans, cell phones, etc.), and they were always happy to help. They were so caring, and I honestly did not expect to build such great relationships with them, but I am so glad that I did.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was wonderful. It took a few days to settle in, but once the initial awkwardness and weird feelings disappeared, I realized how lucky I was to be placed with them. They were very welcoming, and I really, truly felt like they treated me like one of their own children, and always wanted to take care of me. I still keep in contact with them, and living with them was probably my favorite part of the experience overall.

Italian foods have always been some of my favorites, and personally, I feel like it's hard to go wrong when you are eating pasta every day! My host mom was an amazing cook, and she often tried to teach me how to make what she was cooking. Lunches are not included in the program fee, but my friends and I had a great time trying local restaurants and cafes, and thought almost everything was delicious. Although there are many delicious Italian desserts, gelato is my absolute favorite!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I really felt integrated into the local culture. The homestay definitely helped with that, and I was able to communicate in Italian with the local people which also made me feel very connected. I volunteered with two organizations in the community, and the program also gave us bikes to ride, like the locals, all of which helped me feel integrated with the local culture.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have an experience with health care.

I never felt unsafe in Ferrara. I would say that you should be very aware of bike/traffic safety (especially because it's a little different than in the US), but even that really isn't terribly dangerous - just something to be aware of. You also need to remember when traveling outside of Ferrara, that other cities are often much less safe, so don't let yourself get too comfortable with the safe, comfortable feeling Ferrara gives you. The only issue I saw with safety during my time there was with bike thieves. Multiple people in our program had either their entire bikes or parts of their bikes stolen, even when they were locked up in places seemingly very safe.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

I was encouraged to use the local language through my classes and homestay. I wouldn't say that the program itself encourages you to use the local language all the time. They want you to feel comfortable, and the language skills widely vary among the students in the program.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• homestay
• immersion in local culture
• people in the program (directors and students)

• there could be a larger selection of courses to choose from

The Academic or Linguist