Perugia: A Home Away From Home Past Review
By Gabrielle Sherman (Misericordia University) - abroad from 08/24/2018 to 12/14/2018 with
Umbra Institute: Perugia - Direct Enrollment in Semester, Summer or Academic Year Programs
I gained lifelong friends as well as extremely intelligent and helpful mentors. I also learned a lot about the culture of Italy, the food, the people, and the beliefs. I learned a different language and the ability to communicate with others in that language. I gained independence from traveling and the knowledge of managing my finances and tasks.
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. |
The education was outstanding! Professors kept us informed and engaged even when the material seemed too boring. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration here in Umbra was quite amazing. They always wanted to be interacting with students about what they needed and wanted out of the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing was fantastic! Apartments were spacious, clean and well equipped with utilities needed to live by. |
| * Food: |
Food in Perugia is outstanding. Everything so fresh and delicious! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Due to the lack of english spoken, I felt extremely integrated in the communication aspect as well as the culture. You were able to be an Italian student if you tried hard enough! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Health care was ok! At our school you were able to see doctors and communicate about illnesses. Regarding outside of school, ambulances do not come in a rush, and they do not speak english when you call the emergency number, so it is a bit tricky! |
| * Safety: |
Perugia was safe every minute of the day. I never had a fear that I would be in danger anywhere. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I believe that Perugia was the perfect place to study. As a small city in Italy, and less populated with tourists, I was able to immerse myself in the culture and the language. It was easy to explore this small little town and familiarize myself with living on my own. I was able to assimilate very quickly due to feeling so at home here. It was an amazing place to learn and grow as a student and person. |
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) |
Very simple, food and groceries are cheap! Traveling could get pretty costly though. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save up money before hand! Also get a travel credit card that does not charge for transaction fees! |
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 |
I tried very hard to immerse myself in the Italian language. It pushed me to use the language outside while exploring and shopping around. Using the language outside of the classroom helped a lot! |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish third year! |
| 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? | Learn the basics before hand, that can make a huge difference! |
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? | How difficult the language is to learn and how hard the communication barrier is! |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
