Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Both Amazing but Lonely Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/06/2017 to 06/30/2017 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Florence

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot of experience in terms of navigating an unfamiliar space, specially because the school did not provide a lot of outings and events for us.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

it was difficult to adjust to the style of teaching.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

they were very helpful, but could have done more to make us feel welcome.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living with a family and not having meals with them should not be an option. It was very uncomfortable and they were not as friendly with their accommodations as previously stated

* Food:

It's Italian food

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I feel like I met some nice people, but mostly all the italian I met tried to speak to me in English when I was clearly trying to speak them.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have many health issues.

* Safety:

I got pick-pocketed and felt very violated. I did not have any other safety concerns

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I would prefer to have more options in terms of classes.

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)

It was fairly easy to stay on a budget. I did spend more money eating out than I needed to because of my living situation.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 euros

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? 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? Italian351
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? Keep the language pledge.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
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?
  • The opportunity
  • The people that I met
* What could be improved?
  • The program curriculum
  • host family arrangements
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Italy isn't all Eat,Pray, Love, there is a lot of underlying issues that no one tells you about.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Italian Literature, Migration
Course Department: Italian
Instructor: Pinzi, Anita
Instruction Language: Italian
Comments: The teacher was really good at choosing material that was relevant but did not have the necessary skills to help us talk about those readings or engage us in the conversation.
Credit Transfer Issues: N/A