Comfortable Cultural Immersion Past Review
By Georgia Meyer (Haverford College) - abroad from 08/28/2017 to 12/08/2017 with
IES Abroad: Siena - IES Abroad Center
It was absolutely worthwhile. The cultural immersion aspect was not as difficult as I thought it would be. I did not experience culture shock in a major way
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were not rigorous, but mostly they were very interesting and fun |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Absolutely wonderful |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Homestay is the better option in my opinion! |
| * Food: |
It's Italy. You eat lot's of carbs but it's the best food you have ever tasted |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
This is dependent on how much you want to immerse yourself. If you do, there are many opportunities. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Siena is incredibly safe |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved the people I was with. I think I could have been happy at any program, however I am incredibly grateful for the people I met while in Siena |
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) |
It is very expensive to do anything |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 200 (depending on travel) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring as many clothes as you can. Try not to buy too many things there |
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? | 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? | College level French, surprisingly helpful for an Italian program |
| 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? | You have to speak and screw up to be comfortable with the language. Don't be afraid to fail! |
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? | To go in with a mindset that I have to save money |
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. |
