I interacted with Italians everyday, made some local friends Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was satisfied with the courses offered, especially those that couldn't be and aren't offered at my U.S. university.

On-site administration of your program

Loved the program's closeness with students and resident directors, the fact that excursions around Italy were included in the program fee, and balance of freedom and guidance they provided. The resident directors were Italian-Americans who have been living in Italy practically all their lives but have visited the U.S. often and know about both worlds.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in an 8 person apartment in an apartment complex where other students attending JCU were housed. These other students were from my program, other programs, and some degree seeking students. There were also some Italians living there as well. It was in the neighborhood of Trastevere and was close enough to the university to either walk or take the tram. <br /><br /> I loved the ability to interact with other students and the independence that came with living in an apartment in a neighborhood where other Italians lived. It was close to school, public transportation, supermarkets, and the Testaccio club neighborhood.

It was nice to cook ourselves but sometimes after a long day, we preferred to buy pizza or a sandwich from a local shop. I did, however, love the genuine Italian food we got when eating out at restaurants. As a vegetarian, sometimes I just had to be extra careful I didn't accidentally eat meat but there's always a lot of veggie and pasta dishes and of course pizza! (I recommend going to Da Baffetto for pizza near Piazza Navona)

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The excursions arranged by my program were so much fun and unique that I know I wouldn't have been able to pull it all off by myself. There was a hike up Mt. Vesuvius, an island tour, a visit to Pompei, Florence, wine tasting, an evening in culinary institution etc. I was also able to travel around Europe on my own with friends on weekends.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We were given a list of doctors and pharmacies that we could go to that spoke english. We were also provided with health insurance through our program. At night, it may be unsafe for a female to be walking the streets of Rome by herself so it's always good to have a guy or two in the group when going out. Also, some students got their purses or laptops stolen because they didn't close and lock the apartment door. So in other words just use basic safety.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I became more confident in speaking Italian even if at times I wasn't sure of the correct word. I was able to listen to the language live as opposed to just out of the textbook so learned some slang.

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• Apartment

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• Americans