Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Go explore Italy. Past Review

By (Bachelor of Arts in Communication, George Mason University) - abroad from 06/27/2013 to 07/18/2013 with

George Mason University: Milan - Italian Media, Culture & Society

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to be more independent and it was absolutely worthwhile. If I could go again, I would like to stay in a different city. Milan was an experience but compared to what we saw in other parts of the country, the program would do well somewhere else.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It was a great experience with Dr. Wright. Take her advice and begin your research ahead of time. You will be so busy the last thing you will want to do is spend hours looking up articles.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We stayed in dorm/hotel style living.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I stayed in the suburbs of Milan. Like most big cities walking alone at night is not the best decision. Overall, it was safe just use the buddy system.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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? Do not buy clothes from the markets in Italy. The majority of them are not good quality. If you want to go shopping, go into established locations and shops. Definitely spend more money on food than merchandise. You can't get this quality food in the U.S..

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Food
  • Dr.Wright
  • Apertivo
* What could be improved?
  • Location
  • Less Work While There
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Don't buy clothes. Buy food and leather. Especially wine, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Travel as much as you can while there and triple check when purchasing train tickets.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The 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.