Its like a crash course in history with the about of culture you experience. Past Review
By allyson s (BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES., Truman State University) - abroad from 05/25/2012 to 06/21/2012 with
CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Florence - Summer in Florence
I gained a new wordily experience. It opens your eyes to other cultures and you gain a new perspective and become more open to ideas that may be different for our own culture.
Review Photos
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. |
I felt that the class was tough, we really moved fast and learned a lot. It was great taking an art history class in Florence. We learned about the artwork and then went to see it in person. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Great! Our advisors were always checking in and keeping in contact. I felt that they truly wanted us to get the most out of our trip and cared about our experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Good, new appliances and within close walking distance to everything. |
| * Food: |
Lots of pizza and pasta, very good though. Everything is fresh and delicious. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt that i got to experience the culture. We always went out exploring and finding new places. Florence is very high in tourism so i didn't feel that small town local feel as much as I would have liked. But going out and meeting people really helped experience the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have a health issue, however I knew where to go if I needed it. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Florence. It is a safe city. |
| 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) |
Florence was expensive for food, Europe in general is expensive. You really have to be conscious of what your spending, its possible to stay on a student budget if you are smart. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | No |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Each week I probably spent 100-150 a week. I did a lot of traveling so it depended on the week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you have cash.The euro cash passport was great. You could use it at any place that had master card. Credit cards are not as common in Europe. Making your own food is a good way to save. Walking to get places is another way to save and museum passes. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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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| 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? | The euro cash passport was great, Europe doesn't use credit cards as much as in America. If you are expected a package make sure they don't put insurance on it, it cost a lot of pick up. |
