CEA Roma! Past Review
By Julie M (Marketing., Providence College) for
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Rome, Italy
I have gained a new appreciation and understanding for Italian culture. I didn't know much about Italy coming into this program so I was a little shocked at first. Living in a city as big as Rome is a lot different than what I am used to, and the first two weeks were overwhelming. Now that I am used to it, I don't want to leave!
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. |
The workload was slightly less rigorous than at PC, not a joke but not exactly challenging. Grading system was very similar to home but grades are based on fewer assessments, such as just the mid term and final |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff at CEA are like parents to all of the students. They will do anything to make your stay more pleasant. All of them are fluent in English, and some of them have lived in America and understand American higher education. The program was small, about 65 people, so I got to know everyone. I just wish the student apartments were closer to each other. Other than that, my expectations were met! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The location of the apartment was great, very safe neighborhood and a 5-8 minute walk to campus. Further from nightlife and the city center, but very easy to get there by public transportation. We were provided with cookware and bedding. |
| * Food: |
The food is delicious! For eating out, we mostly stuck to recommendations from CEA Staff, teachers, friends, etc., but you really can't go wrong with Italian food. Just avoid restaurants that are facing big monuments, because you will pay for the view and the food won't be as good. A student favorite is Hostaria del Moro da Tony, which is in Trastevere. I did start to get sick of pasta, but there are a few American restaurants in Rome that are good every so often. Favorite was The Perfect Bun, near the Pantheon. Great burgers and nachos! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
CEA planned a lot of programs for us. The second week we had an overnight trip to Florence and Tuscany, which was a lot of fun and a good way to get to know people. We also had 2 day trips, along with many other smaller events, such as walking tours, movie nights, pizza and gelato crawl, museum trips, St. Peter's dome climb, and many more. The events were a great way to get to know Rome and italy better. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
People tend to think Rome is an unsafe city, but I had no problems with it. There is pickpocketing in the main tourist areas, so always be aware and hold onto your bags tightly. The neighborhood I lived in was very safe, so no problems there |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Travel was where the bulk of my expenses went. It added up fast! Make sure you do ample research on flights before you book, because even with the cheap flights, they will add on a lot of taxes and other fees. Also research where the airport is, because a lot of the airports that cheap airline fly in and out of are very far from the city center, adding on additional transportation costs. Also, make sure you check with your bank about ATM fees, because those can really add up as well. Always convert to US dollars in your head before you buy something!! 20 euro might not seem like a lot for something, but when you remember it is actually $27, that changes things |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
In Rome, a lot of people have some knowledge of English. Living in an apartment with other America students, I did not pick up as much Italian as I thought I would. I would typically use Italian at the markets, restaurants, bars, etc, but it isn't always necessary |
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 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? | If you want a personalized experience where teachers and staff truly care about your well being, CEA Rome is perfect for that. Rome is a beautiful city and really not as big as people think. It is also a great city to be based in because there is so much to see, and it is pretty central within Italy and Europe, which makes traveling very easy! |
