Great classes, great food, great city! Past Review
By A student (Italian Language, Literature, Vassar College) - abroad from 09/02/2014 to 12/12/2015 with
Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program
My semester in Bologna was definitely worthwhile. I can now say that I llived with Italian students, studied Dante with native speakers, and traveled to more cities than I thought possible in such a short time while still getting to know Bo. I wouldn't want to have studied abroad anywhere else.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
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 |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't personally need to access healthcare during my time in Bologna, but the program's American doctor and psychiatrist met with the group at the start of the semester and were available throughout. |
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| 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) |
Food (both groceries and most restaurants) is relatively cheap in Bologna, and the food allowance each month is more than enough to sustain a person. Personally, I used the food allowance to cover everything from food to travel to minimal shopping! It's the easiest time I've heard of from friends who went abroad all over the world. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 0 until the final week (~50 euro) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Take trains! Fly Ryanair and EasyJet! Explore Italy more than you travel outside the country! Eat at Osteria Dell'Orsa! |
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 |
The entire program is conducted in Italian, which was great for immersion and language acquisition. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Talk to your roommates—and go out with them if they're amenable! |
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? | If anything, I wish I'd been more forward interacting with other Italian students out in the piazza and elsewhere, but I was definitely happy with my comfort level with strangers at the time. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
