I Found My Sacred Space in Italy! Past Review
By Glenna G (Electronic Media, Global Studies, University of Northern Iowa) for
University of Northern Iowa: Traveling - UNI Sacred Space Honors Capstone in Italy
I definitely enjoyed the trip, although I think I would have liked one with a bit more freedom to travel in smaller groups. It was my first time abroad, but by the end of the trip I wanted a little independence. I want to travel all of Europe now!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It would have been great to have an introduction to Italian. We were a bit lost when we got there, even though some of us have had Spanish in school. The workload wasn't too hard, and the paper at the end was fairly easy to write. It would have been great to meet some Italian university students, but we didn't really get the chance to do that. It was a fantastic experience overall, and it was great to be able to meet some Italian high schoolers so that we could ask questions about their educational system. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
We had very little knowledge about Italian culture before we left. It really wasn't too different from what I expected. It would have been great to have some Italian language and geography in class. The trip was fairly well-planned, except for a few tours that were in Italian. The program was about the right size. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our hostel in Perugia was in a great location. We were off the main road so it wasn't loud, but we were right in the middle of the city so we could get to wherever we wanted to go. The neighborhood was fairly safe and clean. The hostel provided bedding and a kitchen. In Montagnana, we stayed in a castle tower. This was pretty cool, but we had a lot of problems with lack of hot water and lots of bugs. It was also frustrating that the gates had to lock at night and there was only one key. |
| * Food: |
Food was very expensive. I'm allergic to dairy products, so sometimes it was hard for me to find food without cheese. There were lots of little restaurants off the main roads that had excellent food and was slightly cheaper. Also, shops close without warning. We had trouble finding food on a Monday night because everything was closed. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went on a lot of field trips during the day. Assisi was one of my favorites, just because there was so much to see there. Venice was amazing, as expected. Gubbio was also really cool, even though it rained. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
We had no healthcare issues. There are a lot of pharmacies if you need bandages or medicine. We didn't need any vaccinations. The cities were fairly safe, but we still used caution and didn't often go out alone. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you like a lot of art, architecture, and religious history, this is the trip for you. There are a lot of churches and museums to see in Italy, so if you get tired of this quickly, this isn't a trip you want to go on. If this is your first time abroad, this is a great opportunity to see a country with a group to eliminate any fear of traveling alone. |
