Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Best 4 Months of my Life!! Past Review

By (Washington State University) - abroad from 01/24/2017 to 05/12/2017 with

SAI Study Abroad: Florence - Florence University of the Arts (FUA)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This could go on for hours. I learned more about myself than I knew existed. I learned how to travel, how I act when I am uncomfortable, how to act quickly, how to live in the moment, and most importantly to live every second of every day to the fullest because there is so much out there that you haven't even seen yet.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This program and the partner University was a perfect pairing for study abroad. They taught us lessons in and outside of the classroom, and knew that we were there for a cultural experience. I took classes from wine tasting to Human Resources to Sustainable Tourism. It was perfect.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were amazing!! I could not say this enough. My roommates and I became frequent flyers to their offices, and they never blinked an eye.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We lived in a quaint little Neighborhood, San Niccolo, just across the river. Our Apartment was quiet, and had an old florentine vibe.

* Food:

Has anyone ever said Italian food was bad?

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Because we were in a quaint more old school neighborhood, we got the integration aspect. I started to love small tasks like going to the grocery store.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had to use mine, but when my roommates did it was extremely easy and helpful process.

* Safety:

Always walk with friends at night and when you walk don't look strangers in the eye. Once I had my bearings, i felt very safe.

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

This program had everything I had ever hoped for in an education abroad program. I did not feel like anything was missing or I was missing out on anything.

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 completely depends it you travel on the weekends, which I did. I got really good at budgeting for food in Florence on the weekdays. I would spends up to 10 euro a week at the grocery store for 5-7 days. But I also eat small portions. If I went out to eat, it would cost from 5-20 euro for one meal, so it completely depends on how motivated you are to budget. Things like a panini or a pizza from Gusta was about 5 euro.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 10-30
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Budget your food from the grocery store and only eat out up to once a week.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International 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?
  • On Site Support
  • Cross-Cultural immersion
  • Diversity of Classes
* What could be improved?
  • More emphasis on Italian Classes
  • More Scholarship Opportunities
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I would have lived with more people I did not know, and I wish I would have taken a language class because learning Italian on the side is not as easy as I thought it would be.

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 Adventurer
The 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.