Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best 4 months of my life Past Review

By (University of Tennessee - Knoxville) - abroad from 09/01/2018 to 12/14/2018 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned valuable life skills and became a more confident person through my travel abroad experience.

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.

There was no busy work or daily homework, only tests and group projects.

* 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?

I never needed to go to the doctor but I was made aware of the procedure and how to go if I needed to.

* Safety:

I always felt safe. Most important is to be aware of your surrounding and make smart decisions about where you go and who you surround yourself with.

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

SAI went above and beyond to make my study abroad experience as great as possible. They had many activities each week and month such as pizza making, walking tours, and dinners. When my power went out at my apartment one evening, within an hour SAI put us up in a hotel villa so that we would be more confortahbe, even though they were able to get our power back on within 30 minutes of us being at the hotel.

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? 400
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? At the beginning of the semester travel companies have sales on trips and I recommend booking any trips you might want to go on during these sales because you can cancel for a full refund (check cancelation policy for exact time frame) this way you give yourself a chance to get better deals.

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

  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • my roommates
  • class schedule
  • the city
* What could be improved?
  • more ways to meet different people in the program from the beginning
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? bring extra passport size photos and copies of your passport.

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.