Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Florence, lost and found in the city July 18, 2023

By (International Politics and Economics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/03/2022 to 01/02/2023 with

Middlebury Language Schools: Italian Language School

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live and travel on my own. It was very worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Make friends with the locals, as long as you are trying they will be very welcoming and helpful.

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

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
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?
  • language pledge
  • direct enrollment
  • friends and locals
* What could be improved?
  • interaction between students
  • excursions
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I should have stuck to my budget a bit more strictly,

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

HIstory of Economic Development
Course Department: Economics
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: This course was very challenging as it had an oral exam in which we had to remember all of the information from the course and recite an argument from memory, but it was also very interesting and rewarding to pass. The instructor was very helpful towards exchange students.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues
Course Name/Rating:

Cities in the Global Arena

Course Department: Sociology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: The class was very interesting and very interactive. The professor was a t the forefront of their field and allowed us to learn through both lectures and projects.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues
Course Name/Rating:

Sociology of the Media
Course Department: Sociology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: This class was very interesting and the professor was very interactive. She brought many speakers at the forefront of her field and made the class very interactive for us. She was very welcoming to foreign exchange students.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues
Course Name/Rating:

Advanced Grammar and Stylistics
Course Department: Italian
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: The course was interesting and allowed me to learn more of the language's didactics as well as the grammar of the locals along with that of the formal language.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues