The little city in Italy that opened my eyes to the world Past Review
By Paula M (Journalism, University of Oregon) for
GEO: Siena - Study Abroad Programs in Siena
Studying abroad was the best experience that I had while I was in college. I learned so much, I met amazing people both from Eugene and internationally who I am still friends with today. I learned how to open my eyes and accept aspects of Italian culture that I didn't understand or appreciate before and for that I am very thankful. I would recommend studying abroad to anybody who has the means to do so and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
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. |
All of the teachers both from Italy and traveling with us were so enthusiastic and great; I felt as though the group had a strong relationship with them all which was really important for me. I felt like in all of my classes I learned so much, especially Italian. Also, the Art History class was great because we got to actually see the art we were studying. The grading was a bit easier but it made learning all the information so much more fun! |
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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? |
I had a beautiful apartment about a 15 minute walk from school and 15-20 minute walk from the other student apartments around the city. I had my own room and 1 other roommate who was in my program and from the UO. We had to buy a couple of things for the house, but we didn't spend more than 20 euro on that so it wasn't a problem. Also, our landlords were extremely kind people who were there to help when we needed it. We didn't have a great heating system for a while but we made do. |
| * Food: |
I didn't eat meat during this trip and I thought that although the restaurants weren't entirely thrilled about this, they were extremely accommodating toward me. There was always great food options for me which made eating out a lot easier than I expected. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Although Siena is a small city, it was so worth wandering around there and getting to know the people who have lived there for so long. My favorite local was the owner of the bottega near my house. We talked everytime I went in there and he and his wife were always so kind to me; they helped me pick out gifts for my family, and always chose good wine and pasta for dinner when I stopped in on my way home after school. As for field trips, all of them, from wine tasting near Fiesole, to overnight trips to Venice, Roma and Florence were so much fun and I am happy that the program offered these opportunities to us. When I was in Siena, going to the soccer games was great as was simply hanging out with students from Italy outside of the classes we had with them each Monday. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced with the 5 other students in my class and our professor. I used it at the grocery store and in the bars. It was really nice to use it outside of school because it made me more immersed in the culture. Also, locals in the stores, etc. wanted to help us learn so I used it a lot everyday. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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