Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
Most Italians who you can socialise with, are really interested in meeting a native English speaker who wants to learn their language, and will make an effort to socialise with you and help you. But the initial 'getting to know them' is hard, we found the men are really forward in wanting to know the girls, the Italian women generally don't wanna know anyone but Italian men. And foreign guys are pretty much at a disadvantage, unless your female friends introduce you to their Italian male-friends!

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
If you really want to learn Italian you simply have to go to Italy. The people are very nice, helpful and thankful for every "grazie" and "Ciao". Don't be afraid of talking but never forget that Italians are very polite people - they would never correct you if you don't ask them to! The city of Florence pays for a language class (Via Morgani). The Italian spoken in and around Florence (toscano) is really nice and you'll soon pick up an accent.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
As an Italian major, this was the best experience possible for me. At first I did struggle a bit, but the Italians were so helpful and encouraging, that I quickly improved, The majority of the year I felt extremely comfortable in any situation and greatly enjoyed abandoning my english for the year.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I lived in Florence for about 4 months and was struggling to pick up the language. However, as soon as I was immeresed in a challenging Italian course with Italian students my language skills in Italian to started to fly.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
First it was quite difficult to understand and speak italian...but since no one spoke something else (french, english,...) I had no other choice but to learn italian as good as possible...

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
i arrived there without any kmowledge of italian, but i had studied latin 3 years at my college, wich made me very confortably to learn the language.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
Italian and spanish are very similar... also the italian is a language i love and i've studied it for two years before coming, i can perfectly live here because i have no problems with the italian.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
oNE OF THE MAIN POINTS IN deciding to go to Italy was learning Italian. I would never hank enopugh my flat mates and teachers who really help me to learn italian.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
Just one suggestion: Speak, speak, speak! Even if in the beginning you feel like a 3 year-old,by doing it :), thats the only way to really learn it.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
After 3 years of Italian at uni, I was quite ready and comfortable moving to an Italian-speaking environment.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I have always been fascinated by the country and now that I can actually interact with people on a different level is so much more enriching.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I am at ease in most situations, though currently i do not have the opportunity to practice the language.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
Classes were all in italian so you have to learn quickly but there are also a lot of foreign students in florence syou can also speak yo

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
get some italian course in the university, there you will meet many people from other countries and you will speak in italian

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I received a language course from the host university but i wasn't allow to do another one. The course was pretty helpful.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I speak catalan and spanish -I had not problems for learning italian

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
I improved my italian a lot, which was the aim of spending 6 months in florence.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
it was amazing learning a language from the begining

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

Personal comments:
Going abroad is the best way to improve your language skills.

Was learning Italian a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Italian

How much did you improve your Italian?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations

Personal comments:
You have to contact italian student to learn the language. Do not just stay with your friends from your home-country