Italy: Another Chapter of my Life Past Review
By Katherine F (Classical and Ancient Studies., Wellesley College) for
Study Abroad Programs in Italy
Absolutely. Every experience is worth while, even the negative ones, because you always learn something.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought the workload compared to what I was used to at home was very easy to handle, the grading system was comparatively lenient, and the professors sometimes seemed as if they really didn't care. My home institution is much much more intense, but also, for that reason, a little less enjoyable. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was difficult to get things done, partly because of the Italian system, but also because our director was Polish. She spoke wonderful Italian, but I think sometimes she had a difficult time understanding cultural things, which didn't help the students who also didn't understand. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Shop in the market! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had trips organized to Rome and to Malta as well as we went on our own by train all over Italy. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Be smart, don't walk around alone at night, don't wear suggestive clothing, and don't take the bait. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Only buy what you absolutely need, because you never end up coming home and wishing that you'd spend more money on your trip. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | zero |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I used it in every day interactions, and since I was living in a small town, many people didn't even speak Italian (they spoke the local dialect of Sicilian). |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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