Torino, Italy amazing culture and experinces to last a life time. Past Review
By Gina B (Psychology, University of Nevada - Reno) for
USAC Spain: San Sebastián - Spanish Language, Basque, Psychology, and European Studies
I am very thankful I was able to study in Torino, Italy for the two semesters I was there. It gave me confidence and a belief in myself that I can do anything I set my mind too. It taught my about my father's side of the family and see where they came from. My parents came for the last two weeks I was in country. I was able to show them around and translate with our Italain family we met. My experinces I had while in Torino with the school and staff and then being able to tour the country with my parents and translate are treasured memories and experinces for me. My dad died a year later but because of studying in Italy and learning the language, I was able to share that experince with him and show him where is parents were from; something he always wanted to do.
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. |
All the teachers and USAC staff were great in all my classes during the two semesters I spent in Torino. The workload was comparable to my home university. The teachers there were very willing to work with all the students and made the learning experince very enjoyable for me. The class sizes were smaller than my home university, about 20 - 30 per class which helped in the learning process for me. I enjoyed all my classes. My favorite two were first the Culutre class taught by Alyssa Nota and the cusine class. Anyone going to this program should definantly take those two courses. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration staff in Torino were AWESOME!!!!!! They were all very helpful and friendly during my two semesters there. They helped make going to school there a very pleasurable experince especially for someone who had never traveled out of the US before. It started at the airport when landing in Torino when they met everyone and helped us all get settled in our new apartments. They are extreamly organized there and made getting adjusted to Italy so much easier because everything was already taken care of and set up for us when we got there. The dinner the first night and the tour of the city the next day was great to help the students know they are not alone and it will be a great experince. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was already cleaned and furnished and ready for me to move in. The staff in Torino had everything already set up for me and the other students when we arrived. They also helped us meet our landloards so that we could pay rent. The first weekend we were there, the school staff took us to the local grocery store to get anything we might need. My apartment was on a main street with a bus stop right across the street which made it very easy to get around town and to school. |
| * Food: |
All of the restarants I ate at had amazing food, afterall, it is Italy. There was a pizzeria right now the street from my apartment that I often went to for a nice dinner and the gelato shop down the street was great too. I frequented both places often. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
During the two semesters I spent there, we went on many trips such as Venice and Milan as a group. I really enjoyed those trips. The program staff went with us on these trips and made the trips a lot of fun for all the students in the program. We also had many free weekends to go off exploring on our own as well which I did a few times. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I didn't have any issues at all while I was there. For future students, be sure to keep your backpacks secured and in front of you at all times while on the city buses and never have anything of value in easy reach. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
While in Italy, I learned Italian outside of school because we needed it for everyday interaction around the city. Everyone I interacted with was great about understanding I was a student there and paitent with me. We spoke English at the school. |
| 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? | Make sure to bring power adaptors for all your electronics. Study the basics of language you are to study in advance. Bring or buy a journal while you are there to write about all the amazing experinces you'll have and all the amazing people you meet while there. Florence is famous for their leather journals and it's fun to barter with the street merchants. Bring a digital camera and lots of memory cards to capture all the amazing experinces. |
