Veramente Indimenticabile Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The academic aspect of the program was extremely feasible, compared to the demands of my home institution. However, I do think that my professors often assigned a lot of work (mostly readings) and forgot that we also need time to explore and experience the city. Managing both was a whole new kind of challenge.

On-site administration of your program

Administration = four fashionable ladies who worked in the office. They were all very sweet women but many of the students on the program did not think they did enough. I felt comfortable going to them for help, but I wish they had been more present. However, they knew what they were doing and were a wealth of information and assistance to those who reached out.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

This is a tricky question for me. The actual house where I was placed was lovely! It was a large apartment that sat on a large boulevard (or viale in Italian) in safe neighborhood. My sheets and towels were always clean and the food always delicious. However, the actual family was rather disappointing. A mom, dad, and two sons - they were too busy with their own lives to take much of an interest in me. They hosted MANY students before me and I could tell that they thought we were all the same. I had really been looking for that lasting bond with a friendly host family, and unfortunately I did not find it there. Eating dinner with four people who don't speak to you at all for the whole hour is a rather depressing situation indeed. I will say that my host-mom's mother (my host grandma) was lovely and she always liked to ask me questions and we had many a nice conversation.

EVERY MEAL I ATE WAS DELICIOUS.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Florentinians are inherently rather cold and hard to get to know. If I had not joined the University of Florence choir I probably would not have gotten the chance to befriend any native people. But once you've gained their trust they are very nice and I got rather close with several individuals in my choir. That being said, if a panini maker or cashier thinks you are American they will speak to you in English. You have to be persistent in that. It is a tourist town and unless you say otherwise, you are considered a tourist.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had any healthcare issues. But a boy on my program did and it seemed that he was very well taken care of.

Florence is generally a safe city, but students need to be smart. It is not like a college campus. One should really not walk around by themselves very late at night. I rarely felt unsafe walking back at 11pm or 12am, but anytime after that I would make sure I had a buddy.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Buying myself lunch everyday was not that cost-effective. Florence is an expensive city. I would have loved to been able to do more shopping (especially for leather goods!). But, the prices were very high (and the exchange rate even higher). Also, packing all that stuff to go home again would have been nearly impossible. Budgeting properly is possible in Florence. You shouldn't have to deprive yourself of gelato or eat crap for lunch because you want to save money. Many students on my program did this. I did not, but didn't over spend nor go shopping for non-food too often. Therefore, I did not find it too difficult to manage my expenses and I came home with some money still in my bank account.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

In classes where the professor taught in Italian it was highly encouraged. And on school sponsored field trips it was also encouraged. However, in the lounge, around the school, at school social functions the students did not feel the slightest bit motivated to speak in Italian. This was very frustrating for me. I really wanted to be using Italian all the time.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• The city - Florence
• The courses/professors
• The people

• Usage of Italian
• Longer hours for the school to be open
• Host Family's Atitude