Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Molto Buono! March 28, 2022

By (Illustration, 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 learned how to be a polite guest, how to do a wine tasting properly, jewelry making, bocce, and how difficult it is to live in a hillside town without a vehicle. A fiat or a vespa would’ve made a huge difference.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I didn’t enjoy teeing forced to take a Renaissance Art class- I had already taken a class which focused on it two years prior, and the teacher gave us our first quiz without a proper study guide.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were well organized, had presentations giving us an overview of various parts of the program. Transportation was pretty well planned,

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The room was very comfy, with lots of storage space. The building was a very interesting experience. We had washing machines and air-dried our clothes (I wish I had used more fabric softener).

* Food:

Wonderful the majority of the time. Some specific Tuscan dishes weren’t my thing but overall a spectacular food experience.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I learned some conversational italian, talked with a good number of people who regularly live in Cortona. I haven’t kept in touch with them though, unfortunately. Lots of events happened in the central plaza

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I got a covid test at the local pharmacy when i had a cold, had grief counseling when I needed it (a close friend had passed away). My body would hurt a good amount after walking a lot, but resources were good.

* Safety:

Be careful at the bars, my classmate had their wallet stolen, and a fight broke out at the globe bar.

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

Loved the curriculum, the excursions we went on, and bonding as a group. It was nice to be able to go out and enjoy wine and limoncello as a 20 year old.

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)

It was a bit hard, especially since my wallet was stolen early into the trip. I had to take out a cash loan from the program, then slowly pay it back. I overall had enough, but I had to rely on my parents for funds at times. My friends and I would also cover expenses for each other at times.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? probably around €50-100, depending on if we went out of town, and if I wanted to shop for art supplies or anything that caught my eye.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try to save up money in advance, get some currency from your bank before you leave, and keep your wallet in a Very secure bag (preferably zipped).

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

I used a good amount of basic Italian while i was abroad, but many of my peers knew very little. I used Duolingo a little bit before and during the trip to help me practice day-to-day conversation. I struggled at times but got simple communication done.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
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? I had taken AP Spanish, which helped me easily adjust to Italian
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? Duolingo is good, also there are plenty of other online resources to help with pronunciation and cultural adjustment.

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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Walking dogs at the Canile di Ossaia
  • The excursions to big cities
  • exploring the town and getting a better sense of the area
* What could be improved?
  • even with a SIM card, I could only use my phone in the dorm’s common room. It made facetiming my family difficult.
  • Transportation within the town was difficult at times.
  • The application process was tedious.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had put my wallet in a more secure bag, and I wish I overall had more funds so I wouldn’t have been so worried. I would have studied a bit more Italian, but overall I felt fairly prepared.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.