Not What I Expected, But I Would Do It Again Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was really surprised by how little work the professors actually assign. There were no papers, quizzes, &c., only readings to keep up with and a final exam at the end of the term. Most Italian students don't even show up to class because the classes are supplements to the readings, instead of the other way around, like in the US (you can pass a course just reading the textbooks). That being said, I, as an American taking Italian courses, had extreme difficulty getting the assignments finished in time for the exam. In both cases (I was taking 2 courses in Italian, in addition to the mandatory language course), I did not get through my material until late into the night before the exam. I do not recommend taking more than one class in Italian, if you wish to do so. And if you do, check how many books you will have to read. It took me all semester to get through 2 small books that were not available in English, and I worked on my translations everyday for endless hours. You will get plenty of opportunities to use your Italian; make things a little easier for yourself, and take classes in English, too, if available Also, their libraries and internet service aren't very good. I didn't need the library much, thankfully, but I did need the web desperately for translation help. The service is constantly in and out, and we even had a couple days where it just did not work at all.

On-site administration of your program

There's a lot of red tape and most almost always need to refer you to somebody else before you can get any information, only, naturally, to be referred back to who you originally went to. This is partially due to the fact that so little of the paperwork has been transferred into a computer system. The vast majority is done and filed by hand, which causes the workers to forget who has what information when you see them.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorms themselves are fine, but I think we arts students get put into a building with too many roommates. I myself had 8 (technically 7, but with one, her boyfriend more or less lived with her), which means it's almost always loud where you live (you can also hear the people on the main floor as well). Personally, I think Villanova should try to arrange for us to be in la Vela or Acquilone buildings, since they are quieter and not as crowded. (We get put in Tridente, which is the mecca for on-campus students since the cafeteria is there.) The heating also isn't very good, so make sure you pack plenty of heavy sweaters, sweatpants, and thick socks.

It's good, but they cook the same things everyday.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

In the beginning, I was really feeling integrated into the culture (8 roommates will do that for you!), but truthfully, I did have to isolate myself a lot toward the end in order to get my Italian readings done.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The healthcare system in Italian is very weird. This semester, it looked like I might have been experiencing retinal detachment, which could lead to blindness, so I talked to Dr. Cullen (the program directer) who promptly took me to the hospital to be checked out. the hospitals are small, and first spot you go to to explain your symptoms is like being at the bank opening a checking account. They spot they initially examine you is also where they sign you in, so there is a glass in front to separate you from who is checking you out. It took me over half an hour to be checked out, then another half hour to be seen by the actual doctor. I have no complaints about the quality of the check-up, but the medication he prescribed didn't do anything to relieve me of my symptoms. But what bothered me about my medical experience is what happened when Dr. Cullen and I left: the nurse actually reprimanded us for the time of day we chose to come. Apparently, they didn't think my condition was serious enough for the afternoon appointment times, and told us to make sure to come in the morning for this sort of thing, which I did not appreciate. After all, I am not a doctor, a medical student, or a medical expert. How am I to know whether signs of possible blindness are true or not?

The town the school is in is one of the safest out there; however, I always felt uncomfortable walking by myself at night the few times I had to, due to the school paths being in wooded areas. You're never far from help if you need it, though; the other students in the program never seemed concerned about it, so maybe it's just me.

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

I never had money problems while I was there, but if you're the type to be more frivolous with your cash or are short on it in general, I recommend going through your expenses at least once a week to make sure you're not going over-budget.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The program definitely encourages experiencing the culture, but I know plenty of people who just hung around with their fellow Villanovans. Don't be afraid to leave the group every once and a while! Go out and explore on your own and/or with new Italian friends!

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• Dorm

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• Local Students

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• Local Students
• International Students

• Dr. Peter ("Pete") Cullen
• The trips, especially to Lecce and Rome
• Getting the chance to meet and become friends with locals and international students

• Dorm choice
• Student-to-(Italian) professor communication

The Academic or Linguist