Living Life Like a Florentine Past Review
By Jaqueline Martinez (Sacramento City College) - abroad from 01/28/2017 to 04/28/2017 with
AIFS: Florence - Richmond in Florence and Internship Program
I was able to experience a different culture and actually be part of it. Getting to see other people's point of view has helped me be intercultural.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The professors picked were awesome and helpful, I learned more by going to the museums that showed us what we were learning in our lecture. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were great! They always were there to help with whatever we needed. They made it easier to get around the city easily. They were always punctual in all of the events |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved the apartment. It was very spacious, clean and safe. |
| * Food: |
I never had a bad meal through out the whole trip. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was able to make new friends around my neighborhood. The language class that they offered in the program helped me communicate better. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not experience anything serious while abroad. I did get a cough and cold and they were helpful in getting the right medicine and translating what it said. |
| * Safety: |
They were spot on. They gave us an emergency card with phone numbers to call in case of an emergency. They also had a safety class to give us tips on how to be safe while abroad. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
They did a great job in informing me about everything and they took good care of us. |
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) |
It is possible to live on a budget but I personally had no self control when it came to food, especially gelato. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Since I like to try everything it was about $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't buy things where all the tourist go. There are many different places where locals go that sell what you want for a cheaper price. Do not rush into buying anything. |
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 |
They did encourage all of us to try it. We took the test to see the level we were in and they offered four different classes. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| 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? | Just go out and speak to locals. Let them know you are learning and they will be more than happy to help too. |
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? | I wish I knew the dates of the activities before going so I can plan my trips out of the country more efficiently. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
