Every second counts. Past Review
By A student (Trinity University) - abroad from 06/25/2016 to 08/05/2016 with
USAC Italy: Viterbo - Intensive Italian Language, History, and the Arts
Learned a lot of academic things, a lot about myself, and gained a new perspective on the world.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
All courses I took were very well conducted and academically challenging. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration were very helpful and resourceful at all times of day, willing to drive across Italy in the middle of the night if you missed your train. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Very satisfied with where I lived as well as the apartment itself. Only concern was problems with the internet. |
| * Food: |
All the food was astounding. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very integrated, I stayed in a local town where very few people spoke English and I was forced to learn and speak Italian with the locals. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had to use the health care but apparently it is hard to use with the language barrier in the small town. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe the entire time in my host city even at late hours of the night, I only had concerns when traveling in tourist areas. |
| 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) |
It was easy to survive on 50 euro a week in Italy. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50 - 100 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook at home, don't eat out when you can. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Living in a city where no one speaks English forced my to use Italian in my everyday life. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French III |
| 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? | Go out into the world and try to talk to people that can't speak your language what-so-ever. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Itailan |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
