Torino, Italy: my home away from home Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The system was based on the American educational system, with midterms, projects, and a final exam. This made the educational experience very easy. The local students had a different system though--they would have classes for 3 months, then have 1 or 2 months to study for the final exam which counted as their entire grade. I feel that this would have been difficult to adjust to, especially with just one exam at the very end.

On-site administration of your program

The USAC Torino staff was very helpful throughout the entire semester. They started off with a very organized orientation, and they were able to answer all of my questions every time I went into the USAC office. They knew a lot about how to get around Europe and what to see around Torino. Overall, they were a very helpful staff and I won't forget all that they did for me.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The USAC staff arranged our housing for us, which was extremely convenient. Months before departure, I kept in contact with USAC Torino and requested to be placed near the school. They were very helpful and were able to make this happen. I preferred to be close to school so that I could wake up later in the morning and just walk 2 minutes to school. It was a bit far from nightlife, but there were many students in my area and we would all go downtown together. There were many items already in the apartment, such as pots, pans, utensils, and some thick blankets for the winter. I brought 1 set of bed sheets and 2 towels, but with the intention to leave them behind.

The quality of food in Italy is great. But be careful, because you might gain some weight. The pasta is always good, and pizza is great as well. The pizza here is different from that in the States though, so don't be surprised. I feel like kebabs are the European equivalent of a hamburger, because they are "fast food", and they are just so good. They cost about 3.5 euros everywhere you go, and I think they are great. I would recommend trying a pizza kebab at least once as well--it's an awesome combination. It costs 6 euros usually. There are great places to eat in Downtown Torino, but because it's downtown they are more expensive. An affordable place to eat downtown is Da Peppino. I would recommend eating there because they have set menus, where you can choose 3 items and wine, for around 8.5 Euros.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The Venice and Verona overnight trip was awesome! This year it was during Carnevale and it was amazing to be there at that time. It was fun to go out with Italians and experience their holiday. USAC Torino was really good at putting on small activities in Torino at museums or exhibitions, and I thought this made my trip more enjoyable. There were free trips to 3 museums and an exhibition, which I probably wouldn't have seen otherwise. I am glad that I saw these museums. USAC also had Easter Dinner provided for us, which was awesome. USAC was really good at e-mailing and posting up flyers about these events.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Europe in general was pretty safe if I was traveling alone or with friends. Just be aware of pickpockets, because that can happen anywhere. I didn't experience the healthcare in Italy. There weren't any health issues in Italy this semester.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Americans