Study Abroad in Florence Italy: More Of A Social than An Academic Experience Past Review
By Lindsey M (History, Truman State University) for
Lorenzo de' Medici – Florence
Absolute worthwhile. There will always be minor complaints, but the people I met and the experiences I had far outweighed these. I feel way more culturally aware, in a way one can only be after experiencing another culture for an extended period of time. I have always wanted to spend more time learning in Europe, and this program only strengthened that desire.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
While I enjoyed most of my classes, the history classes I took (for my major) were disappointing. They were classed as upper level courses but were very disappointing. I appreciated the relaxed workload and grading system but the classes themselves were too shallow. On the other hand, the (lower level) Literature class I took was much more fulfilling and no more strenuous than my history classes, I would have liked my history classes to be more like that. My Italian class and Photography class were both about what I expected and were fine. On a side note, I was extremely disappointed in the Library. I understand that this study abroad program does not lean heavily on the academics, but a library that is not open on the weekends or after 8pm is a little ridiculous. It was also a hassle to check books out and even find them because the only place you could browse the (shockingly small) catalog was online. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
|
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
|
| * Food: |
The food was wonderful. Gusta Pizza was one of my favorites, as well as the sandwich shop on the corner of Via Faenza. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I had a lot of fun with the people I met in the program, and the trip to Venice I took with the program was really fun, though somewhat rushed. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
I did not have any health or safety problems. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | My weekly budget was typically about 100 euro, and this generally included weekend trips. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I had to buy more little household things that I did not expect, but nothing too bad. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Italian 101 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Italian class was really the only situation where I needed to speak exclusively in Italian. Most Florentines I needed to interact with spoke English. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This program is great if you want to have fun and take it easy for the semester. Don't come for the academics unless you are an art student. |
