A part of me became Italian, and all of me came back a better person. Past Review
By Jacqueline M (Government, The University of Texas at Austin) for
AIFS: Rome - Richmond in Rome and Internship Program
My experience abroad has opened my mind to new people, languages, and daily challenges of communication. I have learned about different customs, to adapt, to be more independent, and to react outside of my comfort zone. I have grown as a person, and from my first time abroad I have gained confidence to do this a few more times. Also, abroad I had the opportunity to pursue my degree from a foreign perspective. My major is government, and my political science courses from non-American perspectives have been helpful and enriching to my knowledge, views, and perspective.
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. |
My university was similar to my home institution. The only differences were the class size (much smaller abroad), there was breaks during class. Everything else was very similar to my American University. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
In my apartment, everything was provided, from cookware to internet. The apartment was very well located within city center, and only five minutes away from The Vatican. The apartment was very close to the university, and situated in a location with easy access to public transportation. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My program arranged events that forced interaction with locals such as apperitivos, and cooking classes. Also, we had field trips to cities within Italy such as Pisa, Siena, Chianti, Venice, and Capri. These field trips had tours included which gave the students a great amount of knowledge about the cities. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Safety risks were clearly discussed by a local police who had very helpful tips to avoid encountering any dangerous experiences. I followed all the tips and did not encounter anything dangerous or suffered of any inconvenient experiences. Healthcare was accessible and the program was very efficient in providing it to the students. |
| 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I think the cost was reasonable and the program took into consideration expenses I had not thought about. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I would practice the language with locals, teachers, and fellow students. It was a necessity to speak the language everyday and inevitable to encounter it. Very few locals knew English, or would refuse to speak it. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You're up to a unique experience that no words from any stranger can describe. The experience will ultimately be yours and only you will know what it is. It is up to you to make the best of it, and learn from it. Live it up, and explore. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
The European Union in the New International System |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Emma Galli |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The course was very well organized, and the instructor was very knowledgeable about the topic. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No problems. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
History of the Italian Mafia |
| Course Department: | History |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Very interesting topic, and informative. The class was very well organized and followed the text very thoroughly. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No problems. |
