Florence: Great food, atmosphere and people! Past Review

By (Human Services, General., University of Hartford) for

API (Academic Programs International): Florence - Lorenzo de’ Medici – The Italian International Institute (LDM)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I loved it! Being away from home was a new experience for me and I really gained a sense of independence and it opened my eyes to all different cultures.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I found the workload to be overwhelming at times, but keeping up with the readings is necessary.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The strengths were that they were very helpful and always there to answer your questions. No weaknesses.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

I wish there were meal vouchers, food got expensive but API provided us with an apartment fully equipped with a kitchen so we would have dinners there quite often and take turns cooking.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Going out on the weekends was a great way to bond and meet new people. I was traveling almost every weekend to a different country to experience a different culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

You had to be careful at night, and in the daytime of gypsy's and pick pocketers.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 50-200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Traveling gets very expensive, so does food. Florence is known for its shopping so if you like to do that, bring some extra bucks.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
Language acquisition improvement?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Communication
* What could be improved?
  • meal vouchers please!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Make sure you understand all aspects that are included and not included when choosing a program. Before classes begin, take a walking tour and get into your routine to avoid getting lost.