Best experience of my life. Past Review

By (Psychology and Communication, Fairfield University) - abroad from 08/24/2014 to 12/14/2014 with

Fairfield University: Florence - Semester or Year in Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live independently and acclimate to a culture that was very different from my life and Fairfield U. Studying Abroad taught me more about myself than I ever could have imagined.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* 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? Yes

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About 100-150 euro each week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan out a budget ahead of time and update it as you go. This way you know how much money you can spend on traveling and what you should be spending on food and weekly expenses in order to use your money efficiently and not over spend.

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? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I completed the French language requirement, but had not taken any Italian language classes prior to study abroad.
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Florence- such an amazing city
  • Traveling and seeing other countries and cities
  • Meeting other Fairfield students as well as students from other schools
* What could be improved?
  • Time efficiency- italy operates a little slower than what I was used to in the US
  • I did not feel that I gained much from my Italian class
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Homesickness is inevitable, but it is okay to miss home.