Siena Italian Studies: An enriching experience for which I will always remain grateful. Past Review
By Andrew C (Biology, General., SUNY - College at Geneseo) for
International Center for Intercultural Exchange: Siena Italian Studies
I cannot begin to explain how much more "worldly" I feel after this experience. It may sound a bit ridiculous, but truly I feel significantly more cultured, discovered things about myself that I didn't know before, and lived in what was in many ways a dramatically different lifestyle than what I had lived my entire life. Not to mention I can now speak Italian! I met people my age with completely different views on life, the rewards of such things cannot be aptly expressed in words and really just need to be experienced.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes were much smaller and more personal than they are at a typical university in the US. The grading system was more or less the same, and teaching methods were comparable. If you want to actually go abroad and learn the language, I highly recommend this program or a different immersive program in a relatively small city. Having spoken with friends who studied in bigger cities and had classes taught in English, and just considering what those circumstances would have been like, I am grateful to have done Siena Italian Studies. That my proficiency of the language and understanding of the culture would be inadequate had I done one of these other programs, I have no doubt whatsoever. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was decent. At times things were sort of disorganized, and I can't say the administration did anything particularly noteworthy, but they didn't really screw anything up either. I personally did not encounter any major problems with the administration, but some friends had issues to which the administration supplied little or no resolution. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The neighborhood felt very safe, I often walked home (about 7 km) I lived on a beautiful road that meandered through the hills of Tuscany so this walk was quite pleasant. Accessing the city at night was a bit inconvenient because the last bus into the city left my house at 830 and dinner usually wasn't served until 8 and finished at nearly 9. My host dad never objected to bringing me into the city after dinner, but to return home I had to walk or take a relatively expensive cab (about 14 euro). While many of the other students lived closer to the city walls, or within, and could go into the city every night, I would not have changed my housing for anything. The area where I lived was absolutely gorgeous, completely worth the commute, and I lived with the most beautiful elderly couple who made my experience one of the best of my life. |
| * Food: |
5 stars aren't enough! Best food I've ever had, hands down. All natural and fresh ingredients, Italian/mediterranean cuisine. Healthy and delicious. One of the best aspects of the trip. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Cinque terre - beautiful. The field trips to Pisa, Florence, and the trips i did with my friends on our own were all memorable and culturally enriching. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Siena is extremely safe, there is, I daresay, no crime. I did not have any health issues nor did any of my peers have any major health issues. Safety in other bigger cities, for example Florence or Rome, is a much greater concern, so it is important to stay alert when traveling. |
| 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? | This really depends on how much you want to spend. I never found that spending was necessary and would sometimes go a couple weeks without spending a single euro. My host family provided me with all the food and water I needed. Major expenses are only really had when traveling or going out to bars/clubs. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you want to shop, great products can be found at the markets, just make sure the seller is legitimate and NEVER pay the asking price. Sellers can always be haggled with. I typically choose an amount I'm willing to pay and tell them very frankly that that is all I am willing to pay. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO WALK AWAY! they will often call you back, and if not, you can usually find the same product sold by a different vendor who is more than willing sell at your price. Certain things that you have to spend money on are dining out and gelato, here I would say don't be afraid to spend a little extra because it is really worth the experience. Overall, it is very easy to live on a student's budget, it is just a matter of whether you choose to spend money or not. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Had never taken an Italian course prior to arrival. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Siena, being a smaller city with a very close knit society, isn't full of English speakers. I used Italian on a daily basis, pretty much all day long. My host family did not speak a single word of English and they were perfect to practice Italian with. To learn practical Italian for informal daily conversation, I found that speaking with my Italian friends was most beneficial. They use some slang but I actually consider this to be an important aspect of the language. Also, while some people just try to make sense of what you're saying and respond, regardless of your grammar, my Italian friends never hesitated to correct me! |
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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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? | A hard-working student who wants to become proficient in Italian, is independent, and not afraid of meeting new people. |
