BEST TIME OF MY LIFE Past Review
By Abbey D (Marketing And International Business, Iowa State University) - abroad from 01/09/2012 to 06/07/2013 with
CIMBA: Paderno del Grappa - Undergraduate Program
CIMBA was 100% worthwhile. I have learned so much about myself and a global perspective that will help me in my career and other aspects of my life. The extracurriculars they provide help shape your perceptions around new concepts
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
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 |
The staff and faculty at CIMBA is phenomenal! They made my experience that much more memorable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living in a dorm with everyone helped us form a strong bond. We also shared some living spaces with Italians which was a cool experience to be mixed in with them. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Being in a small town in Italy, rather than those in Florence or Rome, makes a big difference. We have a drive to get out and travel around more, but also the opportunity to get to know the locals at the pizzeria, tabacchi/sandwich shop and cafes. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was readily available, but somewhat difficult because a translator was needed. |
| * Safety: |
The campus has a front gate and guarded 24/7. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I traveled almost every weekend and spent around 300€ depending on where I went with transportation, lodging, food, and activities. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Take out cash at one time, that way you don't build up your ATM fees. Only bring out with you as much as you really want to spend/can afford. |
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 |
The italian courses were optional. They had two options of a more advanced, or a 'traveler's' version. There is a lot of english spoken in the area and the program leaves you the option and opportunity to learn the language if you want to. |
| 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? | 0 |
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? | Learn words in italian such as: ticket, good morning/evening, how much, where, please/thank you. |
