Bologna: Best Experience Ever! Past Review
By Maria N (Art History, Criticism and Conservation., Wellesley College) for
Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program
I'm still studying abroad right now, but, overall, I would say I have learned invaluable lessons about living far away from home, of surviving in a foreign country with people speaking a foreign language. I believe I have grown as a person and have understood what I truly need in life.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was pretty good. We were busy, but at the same time there was still enough time to enjoy the city and even travel sometimes. The teaching methods were very different from the ones in the U.S. In the classes offered through E.C.Co, professors taught lectures and assigned only readings and no papers. There was a midterm (usually written) and then an oral final. The classes taken through the University of Bologna, on the other hand, had no midterms and almost no class participation, and therefore, the entire final grade was based upon the grade for the final oral exam. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration is very helpful and very nice. They are happy to answer any questions, and try to do everything in their power to make your experience a pleasant one. They also arrange various wonderful trips, and I really, really enjoyed their cooking classes. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Italian food is wonderful, but it might be hard for vegans. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really enjoyed most of our trips, especially the overnight trip to Siena. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Bologna seems to be a pretty safe city, but just like in any other city it's necessary to watch out. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There weren't any great unanticipated expenses that I remember. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I took a Literature course at Wellesley. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Bologna is a rather small city with almost no international tourists; therefore, few people speak English, which is wonderful when your goal is studying a foreign language. Sometimes it just gets a little hard to constantly think in that foreign language, but it's necessary to push oneself and try, no matter what, conversing with the Italians around. |
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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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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