Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My Time in Urbino--What to Know Before Heading Abroad Past Review

By (English Creative Writing, University of Texas - San Antonio) - abroad from 01/17/2012 to 04/12/2012 with

University of Texas - San Antonio: COLFA Semester in Urbino, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was worthwhile, and I definitely grew as a person by going. However, there was a lot of drama, a lot of immaturity, and a lot of people trying to get by while using other people's money. A few members did not care that they would ruin the school's reputation (or the country's reputation, for that matter) and treated the school trip as an extended spring break.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The only issue in my classes in Urbino revolved around the Distance Learning class that was based in San Antonio. The internet was on and off, and when we were able to tune into class, it was hard to stay focused just looking at a TV

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Eugenia and Mirko were absolutely fantastic! They constantly went out of their way just to make sure we were all happy and taken care of.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It was cold at night in our dorms, but once we got appropriate blankets, it was good.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We made some good friends there, and I loved being able to see and experience the culture. However, since most of us didn't already speak the local language, it was a little difficult to dive in. Especially because the Italian students didn't start school until a month and a half after we got there.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I always felt EXTREMELY safe in Urbino, despite the five-mile walks and stretches of road without street lamps. I don't even feel that safe in San Antonio most of the time. I knew nothing would happen there as long as people made good decisions.

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)

The great thing about Urbino is that there weren't a ton of shops and tourist attractions, so it was easy to save money. However, when we went to bigger cities, it was very difficult for some people to realize what was and was not within their budget.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? In Urbino, probably close to $75-$100 a week// Outside of Urbino, about two or three times that amount
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Bring as much as possible JUST IN CASE. There are some serious shopping opportunities, so if you know you cannot afford it, stick to your budget. Towards the end, people were running very low on cash, and had to rely on others to pay for them.

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

They did encourage us, however, since most of the students in Urbino spoke English better than we could speak Italian, it was hard to really dive in. I finally started to really speak Italian when it was time to leave.

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? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? two semesters of college Spanish
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? Get a program or dialogue partner to practice with before leaving. You will be thankful when you get there for the practice.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • N/A
* 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?
  • I absolutely loved the coursework and materials we studied
  • The chance to go to all of the major cities in Italy
  • The local culture and meeting people from all over the world
* What could be improved?
  • There were a few issues with certain members of the program that didn't bring enough money abroad, which was hard for the rest of us that did. We had to pay for others a lot.
  • Drone into people even more how getting into illegal activities in a foreign country can end badly. People in the program didn't always remember that.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To get in shape before leaving! Walking up those hills were murder. And that a lot of people in college will treat this program like an excuse to excessively drink every night, smoke up, and be very immature; and if people do that in your own program, your reputation gets muddled by it as well