Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I do not ever want to leave! Past Review

By (University of Connecticut) - abroad from 08/28/2019 to 12/14/2019 with

International Studies Institute / ISI Florence

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about the Italian culture. I got to enhance my knowledge about a culture and destination I was unfamiliar with. I felt safe, but also had the freedom to explore on my own. Very much worthwhile. I never want to go home.

Review Photos

International Studies Institute / ISI Florence Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I loved all the classes that I got to take!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Always extremely helpful and accomodating

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Beautiful apartment, great location in the city!

* Food:

All the food was great, but there is no meal plan, so you need to pay for everything yourself.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

ISI provided many optional activities to help embed yourself in the culture as much as you pleased.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The school provided health insurance and doctors that would come to your apartment if needed.

* Safety:

I always felt extremely safe, and at orientation ISI brought in a local police officer to give tips on how to be safe in the city.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I absolutely loved ISI and all of the support, and accommodations they provided. The staff was extremely helpful, and classes were just the right balance of work. The programs had so many classes and optional activities to offer that helped assimilate their students to the culture.

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)

If you are not including traveling expenses, everyday living between groceries and eating out was very doable.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Professors encouraged students to practice Italian outside the classroom. We even had interaction with locals required for some of our classes to push ourselves outside our comfort zone with the language.

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? Intermediate
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? Do not be afraid to try and interact with the locals, and use the language as much as you can, they appreciate it

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* 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?
  • Culture
  • Learning language
  • Meeting new people
* What could be improved?
  • More activities to push cultural immersion
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I should have spent more time in my home city (Florence) rather than traveling so much. There is so much more that I wish I had done in my home city.

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 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.