Florence: Challenging, but Rewarding Past Review
By Stephanie L (Art Teacher Education., Marywood University) for
Studio Arts College International (SACI): Florence - SACI in Florence
Italy itself is a wonderful place. I loved being there. However, I think I may have enjoyed it better in another program. I didn't really get to meet any Italians or practice speaking at all because the school didn't really provide opportunities.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Most of my classes and professors were wonderful. Overall I learned a lot. I took mostly studio art classes so the workload was alright, but my art history class was practically unbearable. The workload was insane, and we only had a midterm and a final so grading was scary. However going on site to see the actual monuments and pieces of artwork was a very cool experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were helpful as far as finding stores and things and answering questions, but very infective in resolving a housing situation I was dealing with. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing was randomized and I ended up with girls who basically just liked to party and stay up all night. However, the apartment itself was very nice. It was roomy and close to the main campus. I, in particular, did have to put a bit of money into buying cookware. |
| * Food: |
The food is so fresh in Italy, that even just making your own food was super delicious! There are also plenty of cafes near the main campus for a quick panini or coffee. :) |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
There were a lot of little events in Florence. There was a chocolate festival and an art festival. Also there was the unity day celebration where all the museums were open for free. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Probably around $100. Food wasn't that expensive if you shopped at the central market or just shopped smart in general. But clothes etc. were a bit more expensive than in the states. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | SACI really did not give us an idea of how many random things we were going to have to lay out money for. We had to pay at least $60 for a 'Promesso di soggorno' or 'Permission to stay' certificate which most of us never even actually received. And within the first week I had to lay out hundreds of dollars for random expenses from the school. Also it cost around $300 to ship my artwork home. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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