Life changing experience! Past Review
By Alexis S (SUNY - College at Geneseo) - abroad from 05/27/2012 to 06/28/2012 with
SUNY Geneseo: Rome - Humanities Course
This trip showed me a country that I probably would have never experienced before. It helped me see that not all cultures are the same and that I actually enjoyed their culture and way of life a little more than I enjoy American living. This trip was so worth it. I would love to do it again and have met so many people during it that I would have never met if I had not been on the trip.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | American University In Rome |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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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? |
Loved the apartment living style. It really showed you how Italians lived and how things are different than American culture. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The living style helped show us what living there was really like. Showed us how to live like Italians for a month. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
All issues during the trip were delt with right away and without any hassel. |
| * Safety: |
Safety was mainly up to students and that showed us how to take responsibility. It helped that the staff was very open about the dangers that were out there and how to deal with them. |
| 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) |
More expensive than I imagined/was informed |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 100 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't eat out all the time. It's very tempting but you spend money like crazy. |
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? | French 4 years (200 level) |
| 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? | Just do it. Even if you don't know the language try. They will try to use your language as long as you try to use thiers. |
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? | I wish I would have known that it was going to be more expensive than the staff had told us and that you were not going to want to leave at the end of the program. |
