Amazing First-Time Abroad Experience Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/15/2018 to 05/11/2018 with
IES Abroad: Milan - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
Gained confidence, humility, and a sense of accomplishment for living and thriving in a totally new environment. It was definitely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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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? |
Apartment was great, very close to everything I needed/wanted to access (metro stops, grocery stores), and right down the street from a beautiful park. |
| * Food: |
Didn't have a meal plan so just rating off of the few program dinners we had over the semester. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
By the time my semester was up I felt like I was very much a part of the culture of Milan. I consider it my second home outside of Boston and I cant wait to get back there in a few years. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no serious health issues, but from what I heard from fellow students was that the program had very good healthcare. They partnered w/ a company that could send doctors to your residence to diagnose you and help treat you so you didn't even need to leave your home if you weren't feeling well. I did not need any vaccines specifically for this program. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt very safe walking around Milan regardless of day or time, the one thing you need to always be mindful of is pick-pocketers who can snatch your phone or wallet if you're not paying attention on the metro, on the street or around any larger tourist attractions. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I was exactly where I wanted to be, was able to practice my language skills and connect with my family's heritage, while also being close to many other wonderful parts of Europe. |
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) |
Milan can be an expensive city for eating, especially if you like to dine at restaurants in touristy/inner-city areas. Typically I'd get groceries for 4 days of the week which cost about 50-60 euro but it was harder to keep track of spending on weekends because I'd typically travel throughout Italy or through Europe in general. During the weeks I spent fully in Milan, I'd probably go out to eat 2-3 times and spend around 125 euro. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 250-300 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Figure out where the touristy spots are for entertainment and dining and try to find places to eat further away from those - the food is typically just as tasty, authentic and much cheaper. If you're feeling stressed out about expenses take a week or 2 off from traveling and spend more time getting to know your city/country. I waited until the second month of my program to check out another country and that adds up when you're booking a lot of flights. |
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 |
Between my language class and everyday living, it was easy to get many opportunities to try and use the language. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | An intermediate/advanced language course |
| 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 on strangers! There's no shame in trying to speak their language, it's honestly a sign of respect and appreciation for another culture and more often than not people will help correct you or understand it's not your first language. And don't be discouraged by a perceived lack of improvement, it took me nearly the whole semester before I was comfortable interacting with strangers and asking/answering questions without having to translate as much in my head from English to Italian and vice-versa. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Wish that maybe I'd planned out my travel plans a little earlier but other than that I was well-equipped to go |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
