Unforgettable Experience! Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 07/09/2019 to 08/16/2019 with
Brandeis in Siena: Making, Seeing, and Mastering Art in Tuscany
I learned about Tuscan Renaissance art in Tuscany, its source, while living and experiencing its lifestyle. I also made friends from Brandeis because we bonded over this shared experience. This was definitely worthwhile!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was awesome! You learn a lot about early Renaissance art by looking at works in person, and you learn a lot about traditional oil painting techniques. It really puts the work done behind each artwork into perspective. It was super cool to live in Siena. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I loved that they gave us a tour of Siena to get ourselves oriented to the city. The faculty from SART are fantastic. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived within Siena's historic city walls...it's probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience! It was walking distance from the school and it had a nice view of the city. |
| * Food: |
The food served at the get-togethers was nice, and it gave us a sense of what kinds of food were popular in Siena. The food at the groceries (where you get most of your food) was fresh and delicious. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I didn't know Italian, so I felt like a foreigner. There are people who understand English and are friendly, but others may treat you like a complete foreigner. Other than that, I you are always immersed in the local culture, so you will begin to pick it up as you go, which fun. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
There are pharmacies everywhere in the city, so over-the-counter medication is easily accessible. I didn't have any serious medical incidents so I can't say anything beyond that. |
| * Safety: |
The city is safe. I took extra precautions, such as securing large zip-up bags with locks, but nothing happened. I would say, though, make sure you go out with a buddy at night, and make sure you are taking precautions when you travel outside of Siena, whether independently or with the program. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
Groceries are affordable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 25 euros/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't buy groceries in bulk. The food doesn't have preservatives like the US. You will also save much more by cooking food at home. |
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 |
There was a "crash course" for Italian for the first few days of the program. Because the classes were in English, this Italian was mostly to get around, but a lot of people you will interact with understand basic English. |
| 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 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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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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? | It's much easier to use a card to pay for groceries. Make sure your phone supports international bands if you want to use the same phone abroad. |
