Studying in Florence was the Best Decisions I Ever Made Past Review
By molly m (HISTORY., Providence College) for
Fairfield University: Florence - Semester or Year in Italy
ABSOLUTELY. The way I look at Italy and America is so different than when I first came, for the better. I appreciate things i took for granted in America and I really learned to respect the Italian way of life.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I was not very pleased with Fairfield's program. I felt as though they were very unwilling to help if you had a question or needed help with something. I was seriously injured and they never got back to me with a doctor I could go see or any of the other questions and needs I had. Overall a very unhelpful program. I also wish they could include meal vouchers like many of the other programs. It would have made the whole experience absolutely amazing if it were easier to eat out with friends and enjoy the Italian food. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Italy has the most amazing food! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I rarely did any of the activities offered by my program (dinners etc) |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Florence is an extremely safe city. My program however was not helpful at all in terms of health and safety. My apartment was broken into and the assistant program director did not think it was cause for concern. It took multiple emails to her and finally contacting the program director to finally have something done about it. Hospitals are very easy to get to and free in the emergency room. I severely dislocated my knee cap while in florence and had to go to the hospital. avoid at all costs. no one speaks english and in my opinion they are not as good as American doctors. My program was nice and stayed with me in the hospital but after that they offered no other aid. I had to find a doctor on my own and they really were not very helpful. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | expect to spend more than you think. to avoid spending a lot on traveling book your trips early |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I used Italian when talking to shop owners, restaurants, etc. I used Italian on a daily basis. |
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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Definitly study abroad. It will change the way you look at everything, you will grow as a person, you will meet amazing people, make amazing memories, and it will be something you will never forget. Even though I was not really happy with my program I absolutely loved the whole experience. You really grow as a person and it is just such a cool thing to live in another country for an extended period of time. DEFINITELY STUDY ABROAD. |
