Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Fantastic Experience! Past Review

By (Peace Studies, Conflict Resolution, George Mason University) - abroad from 07/01/2014 to 08/02/2014 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much about myself and Italy while there. It is a beautiful country filled with rich culture, wonderful people, and delicious food. This trip really taught me how to appreciate differences and make the most of all the trips I have taken since then.

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.

The coursework itself was not overwhelmingly difficult, but the experience could not be matched. Being in Italy is the best way to learn about the country and to experience everything we learned in the classroom.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

You're in Italy, need I say more?

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It is what you make of it. Professor Wright gives students a lot of freedom to explore and make the most of trip during excursions and on weekend trips.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

As far as I know nobody on the trip had any major health issues, but Professor Wright was very open to us if we needed to discuss any concerns and helped us to find solutions.

* Safety:

Milan is like any large city. There will always be pick pockets and random bad people, but the city is overall very safe.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around $300, but I ate a lot.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Find the market. Fruit there is so cheap and fresh!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* 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?
  • I loved the freedom we had to explore.
  • Professor Wright planned really excellent excursions. Lake Como is to die for!
* What could be improved?
  • The organization was a little off, but I learned how to deal with changes a lot better from it.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I can survive perfectly fine in a foreign country by myself. I was so nervous about that, but the experience really made me more confident in my own intelligence and ability to adapt to any situation.

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 Urbanite
A 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.