7 months in Italy. What an adventure! Past Review
By A student (Art History, Criticism and Conservation., Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/06/2013 to 12/20/2013 with
Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program
I learned a lot about myself intellectually and living in a foreign country. I think my experience was definitely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I really enjoyed my classes and how much my Italian skills improved. I would highly recommend the professors who teach for the program. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The apartments were comfortable, and I got along well with my roommates. But I did not like how stiff and cold the apartments felt. |
| * Food: |
I did all my own cooking aside from eating out and cooking lessons. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt sometimes that we had more work or constraints on our time than some other programs, and that I didn't have as much time to explore the city as I would have liked. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I met once about a cold with an American doctor in Bologna that the program recommended, so I never interacted with the Italian health system. |
| * Safety: |
By the time I got to Bologna, I was used to living in a city. That said, I understood that living in Bologna required vigilance. |
| 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) |
Italy is an expensive country to live in. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200.00 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I kept track every week of how much money I spent, dividing my expenses into food, transportation, travel, shopping, etc. |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 200-level at Wellesley |
| 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? | Avoid using English as much as possible. Go out and make friends wherever you are because it will hone your language abilities. If you enjoy reading, reading good fiction is also a great way to learn vocabulary. |
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? | I wish I knew that the Lecce program would be set up the way it was. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Art of Bologna Between the 14th and 16th Centuries |
| Course Department: | ECCO |
| Instructor: | Prof. Elisabetta Cunsolo |
| Instruction Language: | Italian |
| Comments: | I loved this course! We visited many museums and churches in Bologna to see works we studied in class. The professor was very knowledgeable and personable. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
