The adventure of a lifetime.. With some bumps along the way. Past Review
By mary.duhn (Benedictine College) - abroad from 09/03/2014 to 11/20/2015 with
Benedictine College: Florence - Semester Program in Florence, Italy
I learned a lot about myself while over there. It was eye opening to cultures and people I had not interacted with before. It eneded up becoming home.
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. |
We did not focus much on acadmeics but did learn a lot while over there. The teachers understood we were not there to sit in a classroom all day but were there to experience italy. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The places we rented out to the college had friendly staff but the conditions were crappy. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The residencia had very comfotable rooms but they were not cleaned frequently. |
| * Food: |
The majority of the food was inedible. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 30 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There are some unforeseen expensise but dont let it stop you from expereincing all there is to see! |
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? | 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? | Four years of Latin |
| 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? | Learn the basics beforehand. That would be really helpful. |
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 didnt go with the group I did. I wish I knew a little bit of Italian to begin with. I wish I had traveled more places. I wish a lot of things. But I know I did all I could with what this trip had to offer. |
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. |
