Biology and rich cultural experiences, with excellent food along the way. August 18, 2023
By Ellie G (Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/12/2023 to 07/27/2023 with
Temple University International Programs: Siena - Siena Biomedical Research
I gained independence and confidence as a traveler - I took many solo trips to other parts of italy while in the program and found these incredibly worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
A vast mix of hands on research, interesting lecture series by many professors, and real medical experience unachievable by most undergraduates in the US. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IES abroad center facilitates this program - they have incredibly kind and organized staff. Some professors were less organized and difficult to communicate with, but overall it was manageable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Apartment style living in a full house. I had a single room and three housemates also in my program. |
| * Food: |
Italy :) |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
IES did an excellent job of giving us opportunities to experience the local culture. We had italian buddy students and numerous planned tours and excursions into the surrounding area. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
No personal experience with health issues abroad, no vaccines required prior to departure. |
| * Safety: |
Siena is a very safe city. I felt comfortable walking at night in most major streets of the city. It's a small place with many people around at most hours. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Though there were frustrating moments navigating the organization of the program itself, it gave me opportunities for learning and exposure to medicine that I would not have found in other places. And nothing could beat the location in Siena, a rich cultural center of tuscany with many things for students to experience. |
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) |
Food and clothing were generally cheaper than the US, but the city is somewhat touristy and certain places were more expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Roughly 100, not trying to conserve. This included 1-2 clothing purchases and all meals. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Seek out the market and small family run restaurants off the popular streets. |
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 had a survival italian course for only the first two weeks. This encouraged us to use basic italian, but all of our classes and academics were in english. |
| 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? | None |
| 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? | Talk to locals and be prepared to self study online. |
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? | 0 |
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? | Keep up with my italian learning throughout! I could have become much more proficient but I stopped practicing as my time filled up during my classes. |
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. |
