Bologna is tasty Past Review
By Anna F (Art History, Religious Studies, Tufts University) - abroad from 01/20/2012 to 05/30/2012 with
Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program
I can speak Italian now (sort of/kind of). I loved being able to be independent and free to wander Europe--it's an amazing privilege that you better take advantage of! No matter where you go and what your experience was (positive or negative), I think the experience of living abroad is always worthwhile.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | UniBo |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was rigorous in that all courses were taught in Italian, but not really content-wise.. At first I was really excited about my courses, but as my language skills picked up and I could actually understand what was going on in class, I found lessons to be very not-rigorous and actually sort of boring (after taking some upper level Art History courses at Tufts it was a bit mind-numbing to be in a super intro-level AH class). All that said, I think it was a good amount of rigor for an abroad program! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Giuliana is great. The program is small so you'll be taken care of administrationally. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
You live with Italians and other Internationals in the dorms. My experience was not particularly great (my roommates were pretty cold and I really did not like sharing my room with someone that cold) BUT I did speak Italian a lot, since I was living with Italians and a Cameroonian girl (none of them spoke English). The dorms are sort of sterile and non-homey in my opinion (I mean they're dorms). Some of my friends from the program really liked living in the dorms though. |
| * Food: |
Bologna is UNREAL. Go to Osteria Broccaindosso and get the pasta and dessert buffet! My brother's friend who grew up in Bologna took me there and sweared by it as the best food place in Bologna and I definitely agree! Go to Sorbetteria Castiglione, Gelatauro, and Gelateria Chocolate. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One of the reasons I picked Bologna (as opposed to Florence or Milan) was that I really wanted to be "integrated" in local culture. While my Italian improved a lot and I feel like I know Bologna culture pretty well now, I underestimated how difficult it would be to make really good Italian friends (I think this is really the only way to be "integrated"). My closest abroad friends were not Italians (they were Americans), and I found it pretty hard to make Italian friends. It would be great if Italians did extracurricular stuff that us Americans could get involved in... |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
N/A |
| * Safety: |
Much safer than Medford/Somerville! Lots of cat-calling, but you'll get that kind of street harassment most anywhere...especially in Europe. |
| 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) |
If you travel a lot, you'll be spending a lot (duh). If you stay in Bologna the whole time you could easily stay under 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? | Geez, I don't know |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Ryan air and easyjet. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Italian 3 at Tufts |
| 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? | Try to speak Italian with the other Americans. You probably will transition into English pretty quickly, but it's good practice! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Do a FUN abroad program. Fun is underrated! This program can be fun, but it's a bit more serious since it's so language-heavy. Really think about the reasons why you want to do a language-heavy program, and how serious you are about getting really good at Italian. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
