Bella Bologna Past Review
By Phoebe M (Economics., Wellesley College) for
Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program
I am so glad to have had the opportunity to put my home institution on hold for a semester, and what's more, to have chosen to be in Bologna, on a really great program. It was SUCH a positive experience for me, because of everything from the city to the program to the Americans I became so close to.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was very manageable and the grading system was challenging but fair. Wellesley is a very demanding school, where I am used to my grades being deflated, so it was really encouraging to receive a grade which I felt I both had earned and deserved. It was an adjustment to take oral exams in all of my classes, especially given that they were conducted in Italian, but I really learned a lot, and felt that it was a great way to be tested. Three of the classes in which I enrolled were conducted by my program (taught by professors from the University of Bologna), and for the fourth I cross-registered at the University of Bologna. The three within my program were quite small, which is what I am used to. The class at the university was, logically, much bigger, which was fun and interesting for me to experience. The professor works closely with the ECCO program and was very accommodating with the American students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The only complaint I have is that the administration wasn't as flexible as we are used to it being in America. It was undoubtedly for our benefit, but it was somewhat frustrating at times, because there are certain circumstances that need more consideration than the applied rules allowed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My dorm was a bit far from the center, but I enjoyed walking. As far as resources, my apartment/dorm was well-installed with everything I needed. I did not get along with my roommate, so in that sense I feel that I missed out on what could have been another opportunity to better my language skills, but it, at the very least, a civil relationship. The internet was a bit spotty, but it was really nice to have access to it [most of the time] in our dorms. |
| * Food: |
Go to Osteria del Orso! Cheap, great tagliatella al ragu and a fun, local environment. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I am glad to have participated in all of the and trips programs hosted by ECCO. The clubs outside of the city were a lot of fun, so it would have been nice to have had a bike (since the buses stop running). Also, students should go to as many soccer games as you can with a big group! It's lots of fun! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Like my mom told me: "just don't be stupid" |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | around 150 euro; slightly more than the food allowance provided for. I was luckily to have additional support from my parents. I was, by no means, exorbitant in my spending, and am really happy to have had a bit of leeway with financial constraints. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | try to limit eating out as much as possible! But definitely DON'T miss out on Bologna's amazing food! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate Italian |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
You should spend as much time with Italians as possible. In Bologna, most Italians' English was very rudimentary, so the key is to avoid speaking only with the other americans. |
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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