Time of My Life in Italia! Past Review
By Sara S (Sociology, Women's Studies, Providence College) for
Fairfield University: Florence - Semester or Year in Italy
I really loved being abroad! But I definitely miss America and PC a lot. I would recommend the experience to anyone who is interested in learning about a new culture.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
|
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
|
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with three girls while abroad: one from Providence College and two from Muhlenberg. I couldn't have asked for a better living arrangement. My apartment was in the center of Florence, only about two blocks from the Duomo and the River. I was located right in between the two main school buildings so I never had to travel longer than 10 minutes to class. In regards to nightlife, all of the clubs and bars surrounded my street, so I never had a problem getting home after a night out. Even though my street was in the dead center of the city, it was mostly occupied by residential buildings, so I always felt safe at home and never threatened. My landlord lived next door and although there was a bit of a language barrier, he was always available to help whenever we needed it. |
| * Food: |
I learned how to cook! |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
|
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
|
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
|
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Postage is expensive! Shopping is dangerous! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Since Florence is a major city, many of the residents already speak English but it was helpful to use my Italian skills when traveling to other cities in Italy and they always helped me with regular decisions, such as reading a menu. My program offered an Italian Conversation Exchange Program for any students who were above Italian 101. They matched us with an Italian student with whom we could practice our Italian language skills. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
