Would not trade my experience for anything Past Review
By Michael DiPanni (Assumption College) - abroad from 01/28/2016 to 05/18/2016 with
Assumption University: Rome - Study Abroad
I learned how to be more independent as a traveller. You gain a level of confidence when traversing a foreign city.
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. |
Classes were not overwhelming at all. We went downtown for two classes a week at the Italian school Italiaidea. The rest were taught at beautiful churches, art galleries, ruins, or museums. There is a classroom on campus for classwork that was not on site. All textbook materials were provided which was great. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The director was fantastic, not only did he teach our philosophy course but he was always helpful in assimilating us to the new city. He would address any problem a student would have no matter how big or small. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Brand new and very comfortable with lots of space. Every room has its own attached bathroom. |
| * Food: |
Fantastic! A chef would come twice a day to prepare meals in the dining room if you stayed to eat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The campus was not located in a touristy area of the city. We were integrated right into the Italian suburbs 20 minutes outside the Vatican by foot. Barely anyone in the area spoke English so utilizing Italian when going out for groceries or to dine was a great way to learn the language. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Rome is extremely safe. The campus is located in a gated community where we knew the code combination to get in and out. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I have seen all of Italy because of Assumption's program. I would now like to try staying at another European country |
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) |
All Assumption financial aid carries over to the Rome campus. Food is generally not expensive if you choose to eat out. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Start saving early! Weekend trips with your friends to other countries are worth every penny you will spend. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Italian III |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Look up common phrases online such as: Where is... What time is it... excuse me... please... thank you... |
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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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | More 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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
