Rome: My home away from home Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I had always been told that the schooling you receive abroad will be different than that of the States. When I came to Rome, I found out that this is completely true. Not only was there a lot less work which proved beneficial when constantly traveling, but professors were a lot more laid back with due dates and extensions. The professors were very easy to get to know and became more of a friend and mentor than a college professor. We had a lot more block classes of 3 hours once a week opposed to 1.5 hours twice a week which did prove to be a bit challenging. Not only was it hard to concentrate, but sometimes I felt as though the professor just rambled on in order to fill the time slot. Overall though, I did leave this program with new knowledge about topics that I never thought I would study.

On-site administration of your program

The staff in Rome at the CEA campus is beyond amazing. To begin with, they all work so well together which is important for a study abroad student to see. They are very knowledgeable about the city and can answer questions from which bus to take to which clubs to go to. They are very friendly and welcoming which creates a great environment to study in.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Out of all of the houses in Rome, my apartment was probably the best size wise as well as location. It was walking distance from the CEA campus and very close to two different metro stops. I felt very safe in my area when walking around at night. Also, there was an Italian University up the street so I was constantly surrounded by Italian students.

Since we lived in an apartment, we cooked all of our own food. The grocery store was about a 20 minute walk away and was stocked with everything you could want. There were also local smaller stores near by. Additionally, fruit and vegetable markets were on every corner which was great.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I really loved our trip to Campania which included Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri. It was very well organized and was definitely a good way to start off the semester. Since we had tour guides and our staff had already been to these places, I felt as though I saw everything and experienced everything I need to.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

In the beginning of the program, a police officer will talk to you about Rome. It will seem very scary, but all you need to do is just be aware of your surroundings. I was never pick pocketed during my stay here and only had a few confrontations on the bus when people got too close. However, Rome is very safe overall. As for health, there are pharmacies on every block. There is a struggle with the language barrier and what particular medicines you need since they are different than the States, but CEA staff is very good at helping you. Also, there are plenty of English speaking doctors that you can visit as well.

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

Since we don't live in the city center, you are constantly interacting with shop owners and people that speak very little English. Therefore you need to know a few words in order to get by on a daily basis. However, you are living with Americans and everyone in CEA speaks English.

Select all that apply

• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Americans

• The staff was very friendly and helpful
• The pre-arranged programs were very well done and beneficial

• Have apartments closer together in order to create a more cohesive group
• Have the CEA campus open later so that students can study there