One of the best years of my life September 10, 2022

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/01/2021 to 06/17/2022 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Florence

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

The experience was more than worthwhile, it was one of the best years of my life. I gained lifelong friends, a much better grasp of the Italian language, and to a large extent, the notion that I want and would be capable to live a portion of my life in Italy.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

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 If I had to do it all over again, I would choose the same program primarily for being in the city of Florence, for the other friends I met through Middlebury, and finally for the Middlebury courses I took in Florence. All three of those aspects were fantastic.

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?	About 100 Euros a week

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?	Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	Italian Independent Study
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment Hotel
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Middlebury classes in Florence The lifelong friends I gained Being surrounded by the culture, art, and history that is embraced in Florence.
* What could be improved?	I think it would be helpful for the team on the ground to set very clear and explicit expectations and communicate them to the arriving students well before hand.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I knew not to stress out about the little things and to enjoy my time. I want to extend that by also saying that I wish in hindsight, I spent more time exploring the country from the extremely small towns and villages to the most urban cities.

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 Outright Urbanite A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Cinema Italiana
Course Department:	Italian
Instructor:	Giacomo Tagliani
Instruction Language:	Italian
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Stilistica
Course Department:	Italian
Instructor:	Elisa Terrazzi & Eduardo Tacchi
Instruction Language:	Italian
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Sociolinguistica
Course Department:	Italian
Instructor:	Stefania Lucchesini
Instruction Language:	Italian
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: