Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Traveling gives you a whole new perspective on people, in the best way. Past Review

By (University of Iowa) - abroad from 05/13/2019 to 06/14/2019 with

CIMBA: Paderno del Grappa - Undergraduate Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Generally speaking, any stranger on this earth has more in common with you than not, and most people will try to help you given the chance. Really, it was so good to know that you can find a community anywhere you live.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The professors are experienced and do a great job of condensing the courses for a four week summer program. While I still learned a lot, the workload was very manageable.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The office was helpful with any issue we students had! They provided lots of assistance with planning travel weekends, and did a lot of work to make sure we were all adjusting well to Italy!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very comfortable solo rooms with en-suite bathrooms that were cleaned regularly. I enjoyed my stay in these dorms more than my freshman year dorms at my home institution.

* Food:

The dining hall served an awesome breakfast! Lunch and dinner every day was traditional pasta, antipasta, entree, which could be very monotonous.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

With most of the professors and other students being American, it wasn’t super immersive, however the local community in Paderno was very kind and conversational if you wanted to learn more.

* 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

I fell in love with the Veneto region and plan to return someday! It was surprising how quickly Paderno felt like home to me. I remember coming back to Italy from a travel weekend in Prague and feeling so relieved to be back in a place where I knew the language and local day to day culture.

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)

Traveling was very easy to adjust to any budget, but I put aside about $200 a weekend to transport, lodging, food, and experiences.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Stay in hostels! They are not only cheap, they are lovely places to meet other travelers and often have lots of inexpensive opportunities to learn about the city you’re staying in.

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

If you were in the Italy Live course, the language learning was super helpful and encouraged!

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? Nothing in Italian
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? No matter where you go, learn the basics ‘hello goodbye thank you’ before you arrive. Most people in Europe have some english skill, but a little attempt at the local language goes a long way.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • N/A
* 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?
  • Support from the staff
  • Housing arrangements
  • Local community
* What could be improved?
  • More interaction with the local community!
  • Perhaps a bit of variety in the dining hall
  • More focus on adjusting your way of life to the local way
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be open minded, and it’s worthwhile to spend your money and time on experiences instead of things.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.