Take me back to Florence! Past Review
By Emma C (Art History, Criticism and Conservation., Wellesley College) for
Syracuse University: Florence - Syracuse University in Florence
Absolutely, I want to go back right now!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes weren't all that difficult, but being an art history student, Florence was the perfect place to study. What's more, all the professors used the city in their instruction, so we saw the city from different angles. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The internet was horrible. It would go off for hours at a time. I thought they had a good selection of courses in subjects that could utilize the city and its resources. I also liked that the program was relatively large but the classes were small. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was treated as a family member and felt as though that apartment had always been my home |
| * Food: |
They serve WAY too much, so early on in the semester, tell them when you're full rather than just letting them pile more food on your plate. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I LOVED the field trip with my Michelangelo class to Pietra Santa and Carrara. We went into a marble quarry and visited a mosaic studio. This was interesting because we saw the process of art rather than just studying the finished product. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
It is best to travel in groups after dark. I rarely felt unsafe, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Also, be wary of pickpocketers and people trying to drug your drink. |
| 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? | I spent very little on food and personal expenses in Florence, but I would spend more during the weekends because I typically traveled to other countries. The most my I spent was on alcohol. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to write down your expenses, so you have a visual account of your spending. Then, you will know if its getting out of hand or if you have some extra to spend. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Italian 202 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
| Language acquisition improvement? |
My host mother did not speak a word of English. This forced me to work on my Italian whenever I was at home. Thankfully, I had studied Italian for two years before my time abroad, but living with my host mother taught me more about idiomatic phrases and grammar than any Italian class. |
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 |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Art History and Italian Studies students would love this program because it uses the city. Even if it sounds intimidating beforehand, the host family program is the best part of this program because the parents are loving and want to bring you into their family and their culture. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Michelangelo |
| Course Department: | Art History |
| Instructor: | Rab Hatfield |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Professor Hatfield was mean and belittling. I would never take a class with him again. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | none |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Michelangelo |
| Course Department: | Art History |
| Instructor: | Rab Hatfield |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Rab Hatfield is a mean man. He would belittle the students and failed to give homework during the semester. This class was the biggest disappointment of my time abroad. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | None |
