Study Abroad in Venice is Expensive Past Review
By Kira T (Italian, Florida Atlantic University) for
Italy Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
After already studying abroad with another program I have realized that you aren't able to fully immerse yourself into a culture and a language when you aren't forced to speak the language. I had no other option than to take the two English courses during this abroad program because I had already finished my Italian credits. I was with other American students the whole time and we rarely spoke Italian. I do not think that my Italian got any better while I was there in fact I think that it became worse. These programs aren't for people who want to learn the language because you aren't going to learn a language unless you are forced to speak it for means of survival. I think that the apartments need to be better investigated before booking them. I think that the course load needs to be revised and be more realistic. I believe that FAU she reconsider moving the program to a different, more economical city for students who are on a tight budget.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I took two courses while in Venice, the Culture and the Geography courses. I do believe that the workload for the Culture course was too much for a six week course. It was unclear what exactly was expected in the course and it was difficult to do the final project (powerpoint and paper) due to the lack of internet. The Culture course was hard to follow because we tried to cover so much material in such little time. Plus the assigned text book we never went over in class which paid off for me because I never even bought the book. I am glad that I didn't waste the money on a book that we never even discussed in class. As for the Geography course I felt as though it was more realistic, it gave us a lot of hands on experience that I was able to take away with me. I was able to do the powerpoint for this course due to my own pictures and with the help of the professor. I truly enjoyed my Geography course. |
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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? |
We lived above a bar, they were loud all throughout the night which made it difficult to sleep at a decent hour. We were in a safe neighborhood however our relator told us not to leave our windows open at night even though we were on the third floor because the people from the bar would climb up into our rooms. As the temperature increased we realized that we were given only one fan for a house with four girls. I had to go out and buy a fan for myself because it was so hot at night I couldn't sleep. We also did not a have an oven and only certain burners on the stove functioned correctly. The house had only one bathroom for four girls which is unacceptable. The apartment the year before was given to three students instead of four. The house was equipped with two queen sized beds and two cots. It order to make it fair so that all four of us could have our own space I spent my six weeks sleeping on a sofa that was filthy. Overall the apartment was in a good location it was on the complete other side of where the other apartments were but it was nice because we weren't in the most populated area of Venice so we were able to be more relaxed. |
| * Food: |
Venice is expensive, so either way whether you buy groceries or buy a slice of pizza everyday you will spend a fortune in food. They are an island so they mainly eat fish, if you don't eat fish then I would suggest you find another place to go. I don't eat meat or fish and it was very difficult for me when we had group outings because within the fees a certain amount goes to these dinners and people are eating all this meat and fish and expensive dishes and I am stuck with a simple pasta with regular sauce. I didn't think that it was a fair equivalent. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I took advantage of every opportunity I had to leave Venice on the weekends we would travel and do things whether in groups or on our own. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would tell them that they should consider all their options before committing to this program. It is a good program if money isn't an issue. I would tell them that they should bring their computer and figure out ahead of time what they are going to do for internet because regardless of what the instructors tell the students in the orientation you will need your computer and you will need internet. We are college students on a college study abroad, we need to write papers, do research, and make powerpoints. It is very difficult to do those things and put in your best effort without computers and internet access. I would also recommend that if you are planning on going you realize that Venice is a very crowded city, there are thousands of tourists that go through the city everyday. It is a very chaotic place and it is very difficult to get lost. However you can have a blast in Venice as well you just need to know what you are getting yourself into before you go. YOu need to be well informed on what to expect and what not to. I would suggest to not expect anything that way you won't be disappointed. |
