Italy: Sidney Jensen-Schaffner

Program: UW in Florence, Spring

Sidney’s Majors: Political Science, History

How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?

The courses I took while studying abroad were both different and similar to taking classes on campus. In my program, we had one UW professor who traveled to Florence with us and taught one of my courses, and the rest were taught by Italian professors through the CET provider program. The course taught by the UW professor was especially similar to courses taken on campus. I was also able to employ similar studying tactics that I would use on campus. The primary difference in my courses taken abroad was the use of academic field trips. Most of my courses included site visits to important historical landmarks, museums, and important areas of Florence. These site visits served to enrich my education and allowed me to learn in new ways. For example, instead of simply learning about the Medici dynasty in my history class, we also visited their old palaces and museums relating to the history of the family. This provided me an in-depth understanding of the history of the Medici family and their influence on the Renaissance and the shaping of Florence.

What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?

One challenge that I faced while preparing to go abroad was the language barrier. The program would be taught in English; however, I was nervous to live in a country where I did not speak the primary language. To better help myself prepare for my study abroad experience, I enrolled in Italian 101 the semester before beginning my study abroad program in Italy. This helped me to feel more comfortable going abroad. Additionally, I also took second-level Italian as one of my courses while partaking in the program. This allowed me to become familiar with the language and confidently navigate Florence. While many people in Florence actually did speak some English, I liked that I was able to communicate fairly well with the locals in Italian. Simply being able to order food or ask for directions in Italian helped me to feel more confident while abroad, while also helping me to immerse myself in Italian culture.

What is your advice for someone considering your program?

My advice for someone considering the UW in Florence program would be to look at the offered courses and whether they will help further their academics. For example, the courses I took either aligned with my history major or met a needed gen-ed requirement. Similarly, I would encourage them to explore the program structure. This program includes having one UW professor travel abroad with a group of UW students to teach one course. The rest of the courses they would take are through a provider program where you are taught by Italian professors, with other American students from different universities. The provider program also organizes many group field trips in Florence and neighboring cities. If this program and class structure seem appealing to a student, I would recommend that they look further into the logistics of the program.