The Time of My Life Past Review
By A student (Finance and Financial Management Services., Bentley University) - abroad from 01/24/2013 to 05/18/2013 with
Lorenzo de' Medici – Florence
I had an absolutely amazing time in Italy. I learned so much about the culture and the food, and I visited so many amazing places. I have so many great memories that will last me a lifetime. It may have been expensive, but it was completely worthwhile!
Review Photos
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. |
The school didn't even feel like a school. And I was really disappointed with the library, which was nothing like a real library. I think the set up could be improved immensely. |
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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? |
I lived with a host family and I really enjoyed it, for the most part. |
| * Food: |
The food that my host family fed me was delicious! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt extremely safe in Florence. Never had any issues. If you are smart about keeping your belongings safe and not going out alone at crazy hours then you'll be just 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) |
I lived with a host family who fed me breakfast and dinner five days a week, so it was a lot easier for me to save money on food. But things are expensive, so you've really got to watch your budget! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | On average, about $50 to $75 dollars each week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't go crazy with spending at the beginning of your time there or you'll regret it later! Also, give yourself a set budget for each week and do not allow yourself to go over your budget. |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Before I studied abroad, I took Elementary Italian 1. While studying abroad, I took Elementary Italian 2 and Intermediate 1. |
| 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? | Use it as much as possible! Order things in the native language, and try to speak as little English as you can! |
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
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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? | Studying abroad is more expensive than I thought! Save up a lot more money than you expect you will need! |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Principles of Drawing and Composition |
| Course Department: | Art |
| Instructor: | Filippo Gambassi |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | I absolutely loved this class. In fact, it was really the only one that I enjoyed a lot abroad. I learned to draw very well, and the teacher was fantastic. We went on a few field trips to museums or areas with statues which was very helpful to learn to draw them. Overall, and amazing class and I would really recommend it to others! |
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