I Left My Heart in Padova Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was intense while remaining doable. I spent many hours a day studying, just like I do at home. All of my professors were outstanding, including my University of Padova professor. There was quite alot of reading, which was almost all in Italian, but it helped me to learn. For my class at the University, I had to read about 15 pages a day, which started out being really tough, but later on got easier and I felt I learned alot of Italian words in my particular field of study as a result, in addition to the information about the subject. The give oral exams in Italy, which I really enjoyed, because it gave me a chance to explain myself even though sometimes I didn't have the correct grammar.

On-site administration of your program

The only problem I encountered was when they didn't really tell us when the first week of University of Padova classes started. This was probably because the classes started at all different times. Besides that, the administration was very helpful and friendly in every possible manner. I was sick the first month and they set up appointments for me and told me how to get there and were very sympathetic. They were always available to meet to talk about academic issues, host family issues or just to chat with you. They were all so very nice and enthusiastic about us being there and were a very positive part of my experience and part of my foreign family. The trips we took were fantastic and gave us an opportunity to get to know them better.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was treated as a family member while in my host family's house. I went to their concerts and dinners at their grandmother's house. I helped cook dinner and set the table, we watched TV together and sat up late just talking to each other and drinking coke. My host parents were so wonderful and helped me with any problem I had, whether it was psycological,linguistical, booking a hotel; whatever it was they were eager to help. We went on a trip together to the mountains together and had a blast. They were the most wonderful part of my time in Italy.

I think there were about two meals that I ate in my whole time in Italy that weren't the best thing I had ever eaten. Everything else was.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I travelled some while in Italy, but stuck to Padova for the most part, which is filled with interesting cultural opportunities, like the Botanical Gardens, the Scrovegni Chapel, the Palazzo Della Ragione, the University and endless other interesting sites. With our group we went to Verona, Milan and Ravenna. Ravenna was particularly interesting, and I probably would not have gone had my program not taken us. In addition, I travelled to Rome, Florence, Venice and the Dolomites. Every trip I took was fantastic and the art, people and sights were amazing.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Padova was a very safe city overall. If you go to the disco, you should take a cab home. My house was so far away from the center of town that it was impossible to walk home very late at night. Avoid wearing overly brightly colored clothes or talking loudly in English, as it attracts unwanted attention. I had a very positive experience with the healthcare system, I went to the doctor in the first month and was very satisfied with the service.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The most useful thing to me for learning italian was to talk to my host family. It helped me get familiar with the language, and it became not a foreign language, but a friend language. It was how I communicated with my host family, and therefore it was a lovely thing. I would not have learned a tenth of what I did had I not had a host family. I also used Italian whenever I could, and talked to whomever I could. I made friends with peole in my class at the University of Padova, people in restaurants, other members of my host family, people in the office at BU, people who worked at the library, talking was how I learned best. I also had a tandem partner, a girl with whom I would practice Italian and she English. I had to use Italian in daily interactions, as many people in Padova do not speak English, and if they did I did not want to speak English with them. I have plenty of time in the states to speak English. I also tried to speak Italian with my friends, although it sometimes deteriorated to English, but we tried our best. Our classes were also all in Italian.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Host Family
• Seriousness of my fellow students
• Interaction with the University of Padova

• Mixing activities between our students and students at the university.