Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Italy. Just go. Past Review

By (Philosophy, Italian Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/06/2013 to 12/20/2013 with

Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
So much. I don't even know where to begin. Totally worthwhile, though it wasn't necessarily the best time for me emotionally to be abroad (my sophomore year was turbulent to say the least). I had a lot of time for self-reflection.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The internal courses I took were interesting and fairly difficult, but in a good way. Reading Italian literature is still challenging as my vocabulary is nowhere near close to that of a native speaker's. I felt that I was really interacting with the language in all of the courses I took.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program was pretty well organized. The office administration at ECCO was phenomenal. They were always super friendly and extremely helpful - they often went out of their way to answer questions I had. Our program director (Ellen Nerenberg from Wesleyan) was pretty absent while we were in Bologna. She did have office hours, but beyond that, we didn't see all that much of her. I would say, though, that ECCO failed to provide adequate information about their summer session program (I had no idea where I would be staying, what I would be studying and what life would be like before I arrived) as well as departure information in a timely manner at the end of the semester

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My roommates were very friendly but they were total slobs and smoked like chimneys. I didn't mind the smoking all that much, but the fact that they were not neat was annoying as I am very tidy. The apartments in Forni were super nice. I really enjoyed living there even though the 32 bus would wake me up every morning!

* Food:

Nothing prepares you for the amount of pasta you eat in Italy. Nothing.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I mean, I was freckly and had red hair when I was abroad. I was so obviously not Italian no matter how well I spoke the language. I felt I certainly had a good idea of how culture in Bologna though I didn't feel very integrated into said culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't require any medical care abroad, but from what I heard the doctor that the program collaborates with was pretty good.

* Safety:

I always felt pretty safe in Bologna. I still wouldn't recommend walking alone at night, but I never felt unsafe. I would say I felt uneasy at times - local men just don't cat call you the same way Americans do - but never unsafe.

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)

I lived fine on the stipend they gave us. Even with Christmas shopping I had 100 euro left at the end of the trip. I didn't do much shopping, though, and I had saved enough money over the summer for international travel, so my stipend was used mostly for food.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 20
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? The stipend the program gives you is also your pocket money. I found it helpful to write down my expenses every day so I knew how much I was spending. 2-5 euro a day adds up

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? ITAS 274 Women in Love with Sergio Parussa
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? READ. Read everything. Newspapers, books, poetry. Everything. Also, talk with your roommates!!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
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?
  • Location in Bologna
  • Collaboration with University professors who taught internal courses
  • Mandatory writing workshop
* What could be improved?
  • Communication with students
  • Housing in Lecce
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew more about a student's typical day when abroad. Also, I had a surprising amount of free time.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!