Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Wonderful experience! Past Review

By (Biology, General., University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 05/13/2014 to 06/03/2014 with

University of Northern Iowa: Capstone in Southern Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I felt immersed in the culture daily. There was plenty of free time for us to independently (with small groups) roam the cities or surrounding areas and see what it is like to be there on your own. I learned a lot from the teaching but almost equally from my own experiences chatting with locals and seeing nightlife in the different cities.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Stress theft - Pick-pocketing is a thing, but nobody warned about something as simple as leaving a cell phone sitting on the table right in front of you. My friend had his stolen by people who put a map on the table and picked it up with his phone. It was very difficult trying to find police to report it to, and communicating with them was difficult without knowledge of the language.

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

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Go to the grocery store and buy things to make sandwiches, snacks, etc. rather than go to restaurants for every meal

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Great professor
  • Meeting new people
  • Number of places/things we saw!
* What could be improved?
  • Health concerns
  • Communication btw. professor and students while separated (we did not have working cell phones)
  • More detail on what to pack for what days (ex. hiking a volcano - freezing at the top)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I don't need to pack so much, and different cultures are something that you have to experience to really learn about them

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.