Amazing Past Review
By Danielle C. (University of Maine - Orono) - abroad from 01/18/2017 to 05/11/2017 with
CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Florence - Semester in Florence
You learn about a culture in a completely new perspective and if I could live abroad again I would in a heartbeat. It was amazing.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes weren't too difficult, but were very long which is sometimes difficult to sit through. Every class was also mandatory and a few of mine had frequent field trips that the students had to pay for, which was an annoyance after having already spent so much money on the course. Many times they would also be a last minute notification, so it was difficult to budget for the week. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
On site staff were amazing, always answering calls or texts and setting up activities that helped you to learn more about the culture. Administration in the United States however were not as good. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My program placed me and my roommates very far from the school which was frustrating when you had to have meal points but the dining place was a half hour away. Other than that my apartment was located in an area that was primarily locals which was an awesome experience because it took you away from tourist traps like the clubs and instead gave you the cozy cafes where you could sit and meet new people. |
| * Food: |
Absolutely amazing!! Some of the best pasta, pizza, gelato, cheese, etc... that you will ever have! |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The center of Florence is a very touristy area, so unless you went to the outskirts of the city or smaller towns in Tuscany you were always aware of the fact you were a study abroad student amongst locals. |
|
* 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? |
No
Administration in the United States is very poor. They are very hard to get in contact with and don't care about being timely or on top of refunds/or issues you have. It took my mom calling for my program coordinator at CIS to actually contact the school and ask why I was charged for an extra course (which was over $1,000). And then it took over two months for me to get that refund in the mail. |
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) |
While food was cheap, even transportation to neighboring towns added up quickly. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent approximately 150-250 a week depending on if I did anything on the weekends. If I went somewhere on the weekend it would be somewhere over $300. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save save save. Save or have in your account over $4,500 because travel and going out to eat adds up. Also take out more cash at a time because the fees add up as well. |
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 |
|
| 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? | None |
| 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? | Rehearse at home, and then whenever you go out to eat or buy something use the phrases you practiced. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You can only add/drop one class on site and after a certain date you can't do it online before your departure. |
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. |
