Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Exploration of a beautiful culture December 26, 2021

By (University of Hartford) - abroad from 08/26/2021 to 11/20/2021 with

University of Georgia: Studies Abroad Program in Cortona, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I feel like as an American, you've grown up in a bubble essentially and leaving the country gave me the chance to reevaluate and shift my thinking, finally managing to see the world from an outside perspective. It was amazing and I will remember it for the rest of my life. It was definitely worth it.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The program offered a lot of chances to work with materials we wouldn't have been able to at our host university like working with metals.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very comfortable for just having two people living in our room.

* Food:

The group meals were often hit or miss, but the quality of the groceries for cooking were amazing- its hard to readjust to American ingredients once you get back.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Its more on me for this rating, other people would have given it a higher score but I felt there was such a heavy workload I didn't get down into town as often as I wanted to.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I would do things differently, sure, but if they had the right class options I would go on this program over and over and over again if I could. The environment around Italy is full of life, culture, and plenty of inspiration for future art works.

Finances

* 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)

As someone who constantly has financial trouble, i found quite a bit of difficulty when it came to things like excursions when we had no other choice but to eat out. Food in Cortona is fairly cheap and its easy to find relatively cheap street food, but I would make sure to set aside a budget for that purpose at the start of the trip.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Anywhere from 20-50 euro (about $25-$60) depending on how much I needed to restock
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Start months in advance

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? N/A
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Duolingo, do yourself a favor and start practicing

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Food
  • Classes outside of the normal fine arts
  • Seeing the art history first hand
* What could be improved?
  • Maybe a bit more in terms of financial aid for those who need it
  • A bigger budget for the program
  • Add different classes for more variety
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I didn't need to panic as much about money as I thought I did at the start of it.

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 Adventurer
The 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.