Unforgettably amazing Past Review
By A student (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Providence College) - abroad from 08/27/2012 to 12/15/2012 with
Fairfield University: Florence - Semester or Year in Italy
My experience abroad was 100% worthwhile and I think it was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience. As a 20 year old I can say that I have traveled all across Europe, which is a crazy thing to be able to say. I definitely learned how to be more self-sufficient and dependent because I did not have many people to rely on. It was a great experience in teaching me how to budget money and travel and adjust to changes and problems on my own.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I didn't find it to be too academically rigorous, but I thought the resources provided were good. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Florence was amazing and the perfect city to study abroad in! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I really liked the location of my apartment, however I did not like my roommates very much. |
| * Food: |
Absolutely unbelievable. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I found Florence to be pretty Americanized and I did not feel challenged to speak the language. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got the healthcare the program recommended and I found it to be necessary. I went to the doctors twice while I was in Florence and he was very helpful and easy to communicate with. I did not have to pay for the appointments because the healthcare covered it. The only expenses I had were for the prescriptions, but that was not very expensive. The program helped by giving a list of doctors, hospitals, etc. There were no vaccines needed specifically. |
| * Safety: |
Overall I felt pretty safe and secure in Florence. I think that things only got a little sketchy at night and then I would never walk alone. I think its smart to stay with a group especially when you are out at night. |
| 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) |
It was definitely an experience handling money on my own and budgeting myself, which I did not do a very good job at during the first few weeks. If I could change one thing it would be to set a budget for myself at the beginning so I can save money along the way. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-$150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Really lay out a budget or plan for yourself before you go abroad, especially when you go on trips because there are a lot of unexpected expenses there. Also, remember there is no meal plan so you have to plan a weekly budget for buying food at the grocery store or eating out at restaurants. |
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 |
My teacher was excellent and I really enjoyed the way he taught the class. |
| 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? | I never took Italian, but in high school I made it to Spanish 3 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Just review the material everyday. It also helps if you try and interact with others using the language, although I never really did that people said it was helpful. |
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? | 0 |
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 knew more about budgeting my money and also opening up more at the beginning to new people. Everyone was pretty much in the same boat and it felt like freshman year of college all over again with meeting new people and making new friends. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
