Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Short but Extremely Wonderful! Past Review

By (University of Tennessee - Knoxville) - abroad from 05/07/2014 to 07/28/2014 with

Study Abroad at SRISA: Accredited Semester - Fine Arts, Liberal Arts and Design

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I loved learning about Italian culture and tradition, but I would have loved to remain for an entire semester and year and fully immerse myself in the city and language. The Santa Reparata staff was extremely warm and welcoming, and very helpful with all of our questions. I would absolutely return to Santa Reparata.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Everything was functional and clean upon arrival. We were more than satisfied with the amount of space and accommodations such as washer and high-end kitchen-ware.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Living in an apartment among Florence residents was nice, but being a part of an all-American program obviously limited the amount of interaction we had with locals and other international students.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health issues while abroad, but we were able to readily receive medication for another student at a local pharmacy.

* Safety:

Having an officer of Florence come in to speak about safety and city ordinances during our orientation was extremely enlightening and helpful.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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? About 100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Potluck dinners and meals in the apartment are obviously good ways to decrease costs.

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

  • Americans
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?
  • Florence
  • The wonderful Santa Reparata crew
  • My class - watercolor and drawing
* What could be improved?
  • adding a language component before and during session
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Helpful language phrases as well as Italian customs

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!