SRISA was Fantastic, so was Florence Past Review
By kire E (Warren Wilson College) - abroad from 01/15/2012 to 04/15/2012 with
Study Abroad at SRISA: Accredited Semester - Fine Arts, Liberal Arts and Design
What did i have to lose? It was most definitely worth it, most incredible experience I have had. To live in another country, and a place so rich in history and culture was surreal.
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. |
Best learning experience I have had, great size to work one on one with teachers and students |
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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? |
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| * Food: |
Only because we had to make it, or pay for it! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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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? |
Yes
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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) |
much cheaper than Warren Wilson, but I had to budget out of my own pocket, which wasn't much to begin with |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | average $75 a week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | if your program/university doesn't have a cafeteria, make your own food and go to local markets...you will submerse yourself more into the culture and save on spendings by not going out to eat every day |
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 |
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| 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? | highschool french, not helpful to say the least |
| 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? | maybe rosetta stone it before heading out, while your there go out to local places...the market, bars, cafe's...easiest way to catch on to a language for me was ordering food, or buying it...you gotta know your basics at least in order to do that |
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
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* Where did you live?
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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? | I wish I could have saved more money before hand, and planned trips around the surrounding areas. I would have loved to visit more cities in Italy, but my funds were limited. |
