A Good Start with Good Friends Past Review
By A student (LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES., Sarah Lawrence College) - abroad from 09/10/2013 to 12/20/2013 with
Sarah Lawrence in Florence
This experience was very worthwhile, but I'm also grateful for the opportunity to move on to Catania. I learned how to conduct myself respectfully in a city. I learned that going to a new place reveals much about the place from whence you have come. I learned that there are a lot of great kids at my school I never even knew about.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
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? |
Excellent. Couldn't have asked for better housing. Well done. |
| * Food: |
|
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
|
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
|
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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? | not sure but probably close to $70 or $80/wk |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Pool money with friends to buy cheap lunch fixings at a supermarket a couple times a week instead of getting a sandwich all the time. |
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 |
The set-up was weird in that there were so many kids on the program who were beginners; the choice was always whether to include them and speak in English or whether to practice Italian and risk losing them. Politeness often won out. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Get a book to read on the bus. Smile and continue to speak in Italian if shopkeepers attend to you in English (and it's a transaction you can handle). Put all of your social media in Italian. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I'm not sure if there's anything, really. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
