The Experience of a Lifetime Past Review
By Brooke M (Elizabethtown College) - abroad from 08/29/2012 to 12/15/2012 with
CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Florence - Semester in Florence
My experience was definitely worthwhile. I am not really an adventurous person, but I learned that there comes a point in your life where having an exact plan doesn't always work. Sometimes, you just gotta roll with the tide and be willing to take a leap of faith. A lot of times, it is the things you did not plan for that are the most memorable!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Courses only met once a week except for Italian classes which met twice a week. The courses pretty much only consisted of a midterm, final project, the final, and your attendance. At Florence University of the Arts, they take attendance very seriously. But, they do not have classes on Fridays making it easy to travel! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone working at FUA was always willing to help answer any questions I had. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in the Oltrarno side of Florence and loved it! Tourists rarely ventured over to this side unless they were going to see the Pitti Palace. It is definitely more "authentic" Italian. |
| * Food: |
Italy is famous for its delicious food. And it did NOT disappoint! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I applied for one of the many volunteer opportunities that FUA provides. I was accepted to be a tour guide at the Santa Maria del Fiore (aka the Duomo) and I loved it! I gave the tours to English speaking tourists, but there were cute Italian ladies who gave the tours in Italian. When we weren't working, they really helped me improve on my Italian! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
It is important to remember that Florence is just like any other city in the world. It is important to not walk alone at night, and be aware of your surroundings at all times. I heard stories of people who had problems, but it was because they were not smart with their decisions and brought it onto themselves. |
| 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) |
I did not have a problem with my money situation. I constantly checked my bank account and if I saw I spent a little more than I should have, I would just watch myself. I do not feel like I missed out on anything because I spent too much money. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Look into various banks and their transaction fee rates. I ended up finding a bank that did not charge any ATM withdrawal fees as long as I kept a certain amount of money in my bank account. My mom's name was on my account, so she was able to add money from my savings account to my checking account if I needed her to. |
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 |
My Italian class was only taught in Italian. Considering I was in a beginning Italian class, it was a shock to pretty much everyone in the class. It seemed like a harsh way of learning at first, but eventually, I realized being forced to speak the language helped me learn it better! |
| 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 |
| 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? | Most people in Florence speak English, but the Florentines really appreciate when you try to speak their native language. If they see you are trying, they will be willing to help you and will be friendlier as well. Practice and let the experts help you! It is the best way to learn. |
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? | I wish I knew that you could intern while abroad. I really only looked into studying abroad because I did not know interning abroad was an option! |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
