beautiful travels, adventure and real life Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/06/2019 to 05/22/2019 with
Eastern College Consortium (ECCO): Bologna - Università di Bologna Study Abroad Program
I learned about a different type of lifestyle that was very nice, and in a different period, maybe it would be a society I would love to be in more. I learned a lot of Italian, gained more independence cooking for myself and living in apartment-style dorms. I saw beautiful places and learned interesting facts about the history. It definitely opened up my view a bit
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
|
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
One issue that stuck out to me was that, in the beginning of the program, they said that everyone had the opportunity to baby sit. However, they only reach out to specific people privately, despite saying that if you approach them expressing interest (and need to have some sort of income), they will give you interview opportunities with families. Although there were many opportunities, only a select few of students were ever notified of this, which is unfair. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It is a gamble living with other students, and your experience completely depends on if the students even want / respect international students and have patience with language barriers. In the dorms, only your roommate (not the other housemates) have to consent to you living there. So in a situation where the housemates do not like living with international students / American students, but your roommate consents, it can be very toxic in such a new environment, especially when the dorm is closer to the outside of the city center. |
| * Food: |
I am grateful for the food stipend, it was very helpful. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very much felt like an outsider most of the time mainly because of political sentiments, though I recognize the privilege of having U.S. documentation |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
|
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Although learning to speak Italian better was a goal that I was able to accomplish and I met people who really impacted my life, I do think that going to Italy was random, and that I did not have anything tying to my studies or life goals in going there, which could sometimes make evaluating my experience different. |
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) |
The program refused to help me find an interview with a family to babysit. This is not something I found out until near the end of the program when another student shared with me the responses others got to showing interest in babysitting jobs (personal emails about opportunities), whereas I was told to go volunteer at the school and hope a child took a liking to me and asked their family for me to tutor them. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50-100 euros depending on if I was traveling or not |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Do not expect help or some way of earning money abroad, save as much money beforehand that way you have some leverage in case something happens with tickets, buying food, travels, etc. Try designating a certain amount of money a week to food out (even a separate gelato budget haha because a lot of us go crazy about it). |
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 |
|
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | Intensive Italian 203 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Listen to music, if podcasts are hard to follow, try reading a book, watching TV or netflix shows in the language...make it fun for yourself! |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | it might snow and be freezing even if you're advised against bringing clothes for this weather |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
