Semester in Rome program Past Review
By Katie B (Politics, The Catholic University of America) for
Catholic University of America: Rome - CU Rome Campus
My study abroad experience was definitely worthwhile. I gained so much from it on an individual level. I know now that I can overcome almost any obstacle.
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was a bit overwhelming, but the teaching methods of the majority of the professors made it enjoyable to learn. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Dr. Dawson held an unparalleled knowledge of Rome and all it had to offer to us as students studying abroad. He was available in class, as well as out of class to provide for all of our needs. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived off of the Corneila Metro Stop with a host family that included a mom, dad, and 3 siblings. <br /><br /> I lived with a host family and was treated as a family member. |
| * Food: |
My host mom was a great cook and always made sure we were completely satisfied. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
All of the planned trips allowed for the best experiences of Italian culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Our cultural assistant, Aurora Santoro, provided for all of the care we needed when health issues arose. She was available around the clock to help us all get to a doctor/hospital or get the medicine that we needed. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Each week is difficult to say. In total, between $3000-$4000. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Never do the currency conversion in your head before buying something, if you do you'll never buy anything while you're gone! |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Living in an environment where I was immersed in the language allowed me to practice and learn much more Italian than I would have thought possible. |
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? | Go! It was honestly the best four months and you won't regret it! The one thing I've heard the most from people considering studying abroad is that they don't think they can do it. Trust me, you can and after you do, you can do almost anything in life. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
British and American Literature in Rome |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Millena Locatelli |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was quite possibly the worst course I have taken in my three years as an undergraduate. The professor had little knowledge of how to run a college course and treated her students like they were only "silly Americans." I would never recommend her as an instructor. The course itself could have allowed for a vast amount of learning, but instead I came out of the course for the worse. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
