Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Bologna Best City in the World! June 06, 2024

By (Political Science, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/08/2024 to 05/23/2024 with

Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that I needed to step out of my comfort zone aka Wellesley to understand the parts of Wellelsey I appreciate and miss, and acknowledge that my culture is not the one right way. I also appreciated the opportunity to travel and discover new countries as I had not done much travel outside of the United States.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Not too academically rigorous, however, the system of learning itself is much different than Wellesley so it is an adjustment to a different kind of learning and grading system.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Best people in the world, dedicated to making sure you feel comfortable, safe, have things to do.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very nice, I found my situation more difficult than others because my roommates did not speak any english and were much older than I. However, they were extremely nice and welcoming and I had a great time.

* Food:

Amazing, cheap, everything. I think that the program should allocate more funds for purchasing cookware as I found it to be expensive and the 25 Euros they gave us barely covered the cost of one pan.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Very welcoming social culture especially for students and for students that speak english

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Had easy access to health care, sufficient and did not have any issues.

* Safety:

Extremely safe, some students were followed a few times but it is still a city. I wouldn't be worried about anything but stay observant of your surroundings.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

The people, the city, the food, just kind of everything about it was incredible. The administration took such good care of us and the city itself had so much to do, as well as great access to travel.

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)

Not very easily due to the costs of cookware and travel, however food and groceries were extremely cheap.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Save up before your trip, make sure you budget accordingly for the travel that you want to do.

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

I would get yelled at a lot to speak in Italian which I appreciated.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Intermediate Italian
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? Do not take a semester off from learning the language only to study abroad in that language in 6 months

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • People
  • Bologna
  • Food
* What could be improved?
  • Cost of Living
  • Housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that I would not need nearly as much stuff as I had packed so I could have more room to purchase mementos and other things.

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 Urbanite
A 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.