Venice was AMAZING Past Review
By Zainab Lakhani (Bunker Hill Community College) - abroad from 06/25/2018 to 07/20/2018 with
CUNY - College of Staten Island: Venice - Study Abroad at Istituto Venezia
Language skills. Cultural exposure. It was very worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
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 |
Damiano was the best most helpful person. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was a little hard because of the lack of elevator and air conditioning, but other than that we were very happy. It was very helpful to have a washer. |
| * Food: |
Its Italy! The food was amazing. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was a little hard to get integrated into the local culture. Its common for the foreigners to hang out together. Once or twice we went to beach parties and thats where I got most exposure to locals. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
My friend had an achey knee and he was able to speak to the pharmacist and get a brace. Other than that we didnt need much in terms of healthcare. |
| * Safety: |
I walked around at all hours and felt very safe. I was never mugged or pickpocketed. I was smart about keeping a low profile and not showing too much that I was from out of country. Even the men were not very aggressive and if you said you were not interested, would leave you alone. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved everything and would want to go again to solidify and expand on everything I learned. |
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) |
It is easy to live cheaply. You can buy cheap food and cook. It gets tempting to eat out all the time though, so be aware of that. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I personally spent a lot because I chose to go out to eat thinking I would not get this opportunity all the time. I would say I spent 300+ euros on food a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook your own food! Try to walk because thats the best way to see Venice and you will save a lot as well as get tons of exercise. Bring your own sunscreen because sunscreen in Venice is incredibly expensive. |
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 |
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| 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? | Level 3 |
| 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? | Try to avoid speaking in English in class and try to practice with locals, especially when ordering food and drinks at a restaurant or bar. |
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? |
