Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Hectic but worth it Past Review

By (University of Akron) - abroad from 01/21/2017 to 05/13/2017 with

Academic Studies Abroad: Study Abroad in Sorrento, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Learned how to travel cheaply, and I got to see a lot of the world that I never thought I'd get to see in my life. I love to travel so it was definitely worth coming here.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Serena makes this program great. Olga, not so much.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I love living with a host family

* Food:

I got tired of having pasta after a while

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Wasn't able to learn Italian well because I had a bad professor

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues

* Safety:

I was harassed by men every time I left the house. I felt like I needed to carry pepper spray to feel safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Traveling around Europe was probably the best option for me for it being my first time being out of my own country. If I was in an Asian country to start with I feel it may have been too much for me to adapt to.

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)

Living with a host family saved me a lot of money on food.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Less than 100 if I didn't travel. If I traveled 200+
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Couchsurfing: Get to stay with locals in the hometown you desire for free and they will show you around and tell you the best places to go.

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

Living with a host family they pushed me to try to learn Italian

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Spanish 2, dropped out of Spanish 3
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? Get better professors to teach. This course strictly spoke Italian. They never translated anything to English. That made it extremely difficult for me to learn because I didn't know what the professor was saying more than half of the time.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International 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?
  • Living with a host family
  • Meeting new people from around the world
  • Making international friendships
* What could be improved?
  • Italian teaching department
  • Warn about Italian men
  • Make sure roommates are compatable before putting them together
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how the Italian men would treat me. They objectify me every time I leave the house and I felt like I had to be cautious of what I wore and where I went.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.