A truly immersive italian experience! July 24, 2025
By A student (Italian, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/18/2025 to 05/23/2025 with
Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program
Yes! This was one of the best experiences of my life. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, met amazing people, learned so much and visited so many new places. Also, I can confidently say Italian is now my third language.
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 |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
I was charged 5000$ for food even though we had to buy and cook our own food. At the end of the program I realized that the full 5000 dollars was not used throughout the program because the amount of money given to me did not add up to 5000$. |
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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 had to go to the doctor three times during my stay in Bologna and the on-site doctor was great and very accessible. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I realized a lot of American study abroad programs are simply American universities in another country. ECCO really pushes you out of your comfort zone and gives you a true Italian experience. I would recommend living in the coed housing as you are exposed to more italians from diverse cultural backgrounds from all around the country. The classes were engaging and taught very well for students still at an intermediate level of Italian. The group trips were amazing and extremely complete! |
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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50$ |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure to buy lots of grains as they last longer and you an do a lot with them. Dont buy produce from CONAD get it from PAM it lasts longer |
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? | 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? | ITAS 202 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | I wish I had known more about the amount of things I was going to need given that the dorms don't provide much. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
