The best opportunity ever! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

FSU offers such a wide range of courses abroad that students never have to worry about falling behind in their majors. Most of the courses are taught by local professors, so one really gets an authentic experience. The courses make great use of your surroundings, in Florence art history was taught around the entire city, Italian class met at a senior citizen home, and in Italian cinema we watched films in historical theaters rather than sitting in a classroom. In China we practiced speaking chinese through scavenger hunts in local parks. In Panama my international development course was taught by a Panama Peace Corps Alumni and we even got to meet with many international development volunteers in the region. The courses meet the academic rigor of on-campus courses, but you always find yourself well prepared for exams and papers.

On-site administration of your program

In Florence and Panama FSU has their own campus with classrooms and offices in one area and a library nearby. The administration staff are always welcoming and although they meet hundreds of students throughout the year, they really take the time to know each students individually and will remember you for years to come.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living arrangements are well taken care of and students never need to fend for themselves. Programs provide clean bedding, kitchen access, laundry access, and cleaning service. Accommodations are authentic to the local culture, but meet the needs of American students. The living arrangements are always near the study center and near the center of the city.

If you like food then Florence is the place to go! The program gives students "Meal Tickets" every couple of weeks that can can be used at a variety of restaurants. The tickets are great because you don't have to worry about spending too much money, but you can eat out at amazing places every single night. Students do large group dinners at Anita's Trattoria almost every night and sometimes go to Aperitivo for drinks and appetizers. The China program also has good food and provides all meals for students. The food is more authentic Chinese and can be interesting at times, however there is always enough to eat and the 'interesting' food is a necessary part of understanding local culture.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The Panama program is part of FSU's campus in Panama where local students take courses before going to Tallahassee to finish a degree. So students who study abroad take courses with local students and quickly become friends. The other programs also do a good job integrating students with the local culture through dinners, trips, seminars, and just meeting locals in general.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

While in China I sprained my foot while I was out at night and the next morning I could tell it needed medical attention. Our program leader took me to a local doctor, where I was very apprehensive at first...Chinese medical facilities are nothing like Europe or America. However, I was able to get an X-ray quickly and have my foot bandaged properly. The entire procedure cost about 3 USD so I did not bother with insurance. While in Italy I broke my permanent retainer on the back of teeth and had metal wires sticking out everywhere! Orthodontics are not as common in Europe as they are in America so I was worried about finding a proper doctor. However, my program leader quickly made an appointment for me and I was able to have my problem solved immediately. I even decided to go on my own and try out my Italian by myself, so it was definitely a growing experience. The procedure was more costly than in China, so I made sure to do the necessary insurance paper work.

I had no safety concerns in my entire 14 months abroad.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The programs are all-inclusive so students just need to budget money for going out and for travel.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

In Italy our program leaders always wanted us to use Italian whenever possible, sometimes they would jokingly not answer if you used English. The local restaurants and stores knew that we needed to practice and always made us order in Italian. They took the time to correct us and teach us something new.

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
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