Forza Viola! Past Review

By (Business and Economics & Media and Communication Studies, Ursinus College) - abroad from 09/07/2013 to 12/14/2013 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Florence, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much about myself and how pushing yourself outside of your comfort zones can lead to so many amazing things!

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.

It was perfect for the study abroad environment, I definitely learned, but it was not overly rigorous.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everyone was so incredibly nice and helpful with any aspect of study abroad: social, educational, or anything else!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

At first there were a few struggles, but that is bound to happen when entering into another person's house, and the fact that it is in a different country definitely adds to some stress, but once I was settled the experience of being in a home-stay was absolutely amazing!

* Food:

Pasta, pizza, and gelato...need I say more! The food was amazing!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Living with a host-family really made me feel more integrated into the local culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never dealt with this, but classmates of mine did and everything seemed to go very well.

* Safety:

If you are smart the city is extremely safe, but you cannot feel like you cannot be touched and nothing would ever happen to you, because there is always a chance, no matter where you are in the world.

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)

Everyone in the program spent differently, but everyone managed to experience so much whether they were spending $50/week or $300/week

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

I had to use the language living in a host-family who did not speak English so the language program was extremely helpful and encouraging.

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? Intermediate
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • City
  • Food
  • People
* What could be improved?
  • more variety or classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I would have studied the language more so that the beginning would have not been so rocky of a start.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.