Food, Friends, Culture, History, and Scenery! September 10, 2022
By A student (Federal Government, Stephen F. Austin State University) - abroad from 06/01/2022 to 06/30/2022 with
Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA): Honors American Government: Comparative Approaches to Democracy
It was vastly worthwhile in the lessons it taught me about living away from family, living in a different culture, and trying new ways of doing things.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Dr. Tkacik challenged us to our limit, wherever that may be, but still left the possibility of success open to those who did the work and wanted to learn. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It's a monastery, so not much more needs to be said. The monks were friendly and gracious, the church was beautiful, and the atmosphere was peaceful. No better place to live for a month. |
| * Food: |
Italian food has always been my favorite, and I almost don't want to eat anything that's not Italian food now! It was consistently better than any food I've had anywhere else! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had many chances to mingle with the Italian culture, but I feel that we missed a large element of it because of a cultural difference, that being their 1-4pm siesta. The whole city would close up in the afternoon, usually right as we arrived in town. Then, as we would begin to get tired and head home, that's when the rest of the town would come back out and party well into the night. The Italian schedule had a tendency to circumvent our own in an attempt to evade us, and did so very successfully. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
N/A; We didn't run into any medical issues and had no interaction (and therefore no problems) with the Italian medical system. |
| * Safety: |
Perugia is a very safe city, not much to really worry about. Our weekend visit to Naples was a tad different (one of us was pickpocketed), but still generally safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
There was nothing I regret about this trip, and would happily do it again and again if given the chance! |
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) |
For someone who doesn't spend much shopping, Italy was very budget friendly. I expect that others who shopped more in places like Florence or Rome wouldn't say the same, but I found it fairly comparable to a small town like Nacogdoches. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Perhaps around $87 per week, give or take $10 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | On the weekends, try to find a local farmer's market and make some food for yourself! It tastes better when homemade, and will be cheaper than any restaurant that sells it. |
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 |
We were highly encouraged to attempt to speak the language; the locals understood just enough English to make up for our lack of Italian, and happily bridged the gap, which made the experience more meaningful for all involved. |
| 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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 2nd Semester Spanish at SFA |
| 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? | Go out into the town and talk to people- shop owners, pedestrians, waiters, etc. the more you speak it, the more you can learn it and its intricacies. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | When to go into town while it's bustling, and when not to waste time in the blazing heat of the afternoon. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
