The taking off of the cultural hood Past Review
By A student (Benedictine College) - abroad from 09/19/2013 to 12/19/2013 with
Benedictine College: Florence - Semester Program in Florence, Italy
More than I can dream of articulating and placing in this small box. But to give effort: A confidence that is all the more present in my daily life. An appreciation of and pride for my nation. A comfort with being vulnerable. A desire to seek. A never ending thirst for knowledge and beauty. Some sweet observational skills A love for Christ that grows more and more every day.
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. |
Perhaps not as academically "rigorous" as we are used to in a general BC course, but most definitely educational. Education goes beyond classroom and intensity. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We stayed to ourselves quite a bit. Yes it can be rather difficult with such a large to group to completely immerse, but it would have been cool if there were opportunities to meet Italian college students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Just pay attention, and it's all good. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Because it's legit. Yes, while students can waste their time abroad, and plenty of them do, time in a foreign land is so important for personal development. And time in a land that shaped western civilization? Priceless. |
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? | 50€... Maybe. |
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? | Beginner |
| 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? | AP Spanish |
| 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 for it. If you allow the fear of "sounding stupid" keep you from at least attempting to communicate in Italian, good luck ever learning a language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Art. Everybody ought to review art history so they can share in the joy of understanding why the pieces that we encounter are so important. |
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. |
