Life changing Past Review
By Koby B (MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS., Tulane University) - abroad from 09/01/2014 to 12/18/2014 with
IES Abroad: Milan - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
I learned so much about myself and the world. It was most definitely worthwhile.
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. |
Milan is the perfect city to study abroad for a musician. There are a plethora of musical opportunities in Milan, and the IES staff try their hardest to make as many of these as possible accessible to the students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IES staff is amazing. They're helpful, responsive, and genuinely caring. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Lived in an apartment about 15 minutes away from the city center. Ample space, and great location. |
| * Food: |
Groceries are cheap, Italian food is amazing, and Aperitivo is the perfect budget-conscious way to eat out. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
IES does a great job of making Milan accessible for the students. I participated in an extracurricular local choir, a music therapy internship, got free tickets to Teatro Alla Scala, and so much more. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The majority of the crime in Milan is petty crime, so as long as you keep close attention to your belongings, you should be fine. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $ |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
There was a 3 week intensive Italian class at the beginning of the program that was very helpful for learning some basics of the language. After that, you are required to take Italian course for the rest of the semester with your other classes. The IES Italian course isn't too stressful, and is very helpful with many interesting field studies. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 2040 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Practice with your CA (community assistant) or home stay family! The resources are all around you. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | There will be ups and downs, but you will come out with a much deeper understanding yourself and the world. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
