Eat pasta, Pray everyday, and Love Italy! Past Review

By (BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES., Presbyterian College) for

Umbra Institute: Perugia - Direct Enrollment in Semester, Summer or Academic Year Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Yes yes yes!

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.

Teaching system was different, but valuable. Most of the teaching revolved around reading, preparing, and developing projects based on case studies given to us in class.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program balanced travel with studies very well. Field trips around the country were offered a lot.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was not as clean as would be expected for the prices paid. Upon arrival, our oven did not work and it took 2 1/2 months to get maintenance to fix it (which made keeping costs lower and eating in a hard option). In addition, black mold started growing in our house heavily and the school did NOT respond as addimently as hoped for. It took several emails and conversations with them to have the black mold addressed.

* Food:

Ristorante La Piazetta on the corner of via del Priori and Deliciosa!!!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

EuroChocolat

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Safety was great

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? Each week I budgeted to be able to spend 200 USD -- however this included travel during that weekend, also. usually 100 USD would go to traveling on the weekend and the leftover would be used to food and experiences throughout the week. What I didn't spend I budgeted to save for larger trips I wanted to go on
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? BUDGET!

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

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

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Everything Italy
* What could be improved?
  • Italian Language courses there
  • PC offering Italian as a language
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Just take the leap and decide to study abroad. I've never met anyone who regretted it.