Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Fantastic Decision! Past Review

By (Classical Archaeology, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 06/10/2013 to 07/21/2013 with

AIRC: Rome - Interdisciplinary Semester in Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot of perspective and learned about myself as well as archaeology and the Italian culture. The trip was more than worth it!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Each student had the opportunity to work with the instructors on a one-on-one level. Students were welcome to ask questions at any time and the learning environment was relaxed, but structured.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Administration was well-organized and responded quickly and efficiently to the needs of students.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my apartment! It was adorable, airy, and had a gym next door that played really good music (but not too loud or too late in the evenings).

* Food:

The food was always amazing!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Even though I did not know any Italian before my program, I still felt welcome and could communicate with the Italian people.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had any health issues on the trip, but people who did were well taken care of.

* Safety:

There was never a time I felt in danger in Rome, even when by myself at night. However, one did need to be aware of pickpockets at all times, especially on public transportation. There were a couple incidents when some of my classmates almost got pickpocketed.

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)

Since food was not provided by our program, we spent a lot of money on it! However, I probably could have been thriftier with my money.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? You don't always have to eat at a sit-down restaurant. Takeaway food is a big money saver, specifically because you won't have to pay a table/service fee.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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
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?
  • The instructors - very personable made the entire experience enjoyable
  • The location - Italy was beautiful and so relevant to my Classics studies
  • The studies - our dig site was small, but incredibly interesting and I learned a lot about my possible future career path
* What could be improved?
  • The organization of the instruction - if the instructors could have communicated between them exactly what they wanted to get done in the digging season, that would have been nice.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known Italian!

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.