Firenze is a home in my heart Past Review
By Samantha Reyes (Washington State University) - abroad from 02/01/2017 to 04/30/2017 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Florence, Italy
I learned a lot about EU policies and what local life is like.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses CAPA offered were challenging, but I felt closer to the material while studying abroad |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators are helpful and provide programs to make the experience better (such as families, volunteering, bike rides, soccer games, etc) |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved the apartment I lived in. I had a large living room and lived in the Santa Croce area. I was close to class and was close to the middle of Florence |
| * Food: |
The food in Florence is amazing and very good for you. The Mercato centrale and Santa Ambrosia mercato are fun to go through with fresh food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I believe Florence was the best city to live in. There are plenty of festivals to go to and they are serious about their food and calcio (soccer). Florence is unique in its history and the locals are great to talk to if you get the chance. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
When I had to go to the hospital for sickness my program helped me through it. I was able to call and have one of the administrators talk to the doctors for me and it went well after that. The hospitals are a little scary at night |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in Florence. The guys in my program got pick-pocketed, so guys should never carry their wallets in their back pockets and be careful in crowds. I never had any issues, I had a cross-body bag and always kept it in front of me. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was specific for my major. I fell in love with the city I lived in. Florence is so diverse that there is still more to learn from the city. |
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? | I spent about 100 or so a week, I did make larger purchases, but typically I didn't spend too much |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It depends on what you would like out of the experience. Many people travel along with being abroad, so if that is what interests you, then save money enough to travel to other places. Flying within Europe is relatively cheap when you are there |
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 |
If we were comfortable they were happy to help us learn Italian and speak with us |
| 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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None in Italian, But up to 204 in German |
| 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? | Use it as much as you can. Try to get out of your comfort zone and be friends with locals. |
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? | Some way of getting around and how to do things |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
ECONS 430 |
| Course Department: | School of Economic Sciences |
| Instructor: | Phil Wandshneider, Hayley Chouinard |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Both professors were knowlegeable, Hayley was much more prepared, there was only one exam. I prefer this course over taking it at WSU because this was specific to Italy and helped me feel more connected to the culture and resource use. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | This is a faculty led program so credit counts toward gpa and there is no need for transferring credits |
| Course Name/Rating: |
ECONS 483 |
| Course Department: | School of Economic Sciences |
| Instructor: | Phil Wandschneider, Hayley Chouinard |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This class was a lot of fun. It was mostly field trips and journals of our experience in Italy. I loved this class and it helped me do more in my town than I would have on my own |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | This is a faculty led program so credit counts toward gpa and there is no need for transferring credits |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Italian 101 |
| Course Department: | Foreign language |
| Instructor: | Eduardo Tacci |
| Instruction Language: | Italian, English |
| Comments: | This class was challenging because it was a complete immersion in the Italian language. Eduardo was a professor that I felt was knowledgeable and approachable, he got to know us and taught us many things about Florence and the language |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | This is a faculty led program so credit counts toward gpa and there is no need for transferring credits |
| Course Name/Rating: |
ECONS 433 |
| Course Department: | School of Economic Sciences |
| Instructor: | Benedetta Cotta |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was the most difficult course due to the amount of work needed to put in. There were two large group projects, 3 papers, and 2 exams for the class. I felt overwhelmed at times, but the course itself was interesting. I learned about the European Union and how it pertains to natural resource use |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | This is a faculty led program so credit counts toward gpa and there is no need for transferring credits |
