Great experience with awesome people, food, and a beautiful city! Past Review
By Stacey R (Managerial Economics and Marketing, Bentley University) - abroad from 01/24/2013 to 05/19/2013 with
Lorenzo de' Medici – Florence
To explain the answer above, I would go to Italy again and do a host family, but I would want to chose a different school and do an actual program (not do it only through Bentley)
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I like everything about Bentley |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I liked my professors, the school in general and the head administration was not great. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family! |
| * Food: |
Great food for breakfast and dinner everyday |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I loved Italy and the people I met |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I always felt safe in my host country |
| 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 spent probably $100 on food and personal expenses every week, and I tried to manage my money very well and was cautious with what I spent. The euro conversion really messes with you! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~$200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | ONLY spend money on food and what you really need, otherwise you will not have enough money to travel |
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 |
I lived with an italian family so I had to speak the language every day |
| 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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| 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? | Talk as much as possible with locals, watch TV, listen to music |
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? | That there are a lot of programs that go on trips with one another during the weekends; I would have liked to be in those programs |
