Rome: A City and a Classroom Past Review

By Cate S (Anthropology and Ancient Studies, University of Maryland - Baltimore County) for

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Rome, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I think the biggest thing study abroad has given me is a chance to reevaluate myself and how I deal with things. I can't say it was always easy but I've definitely grown from the experience and I think it's going to make my transition into adulthood a much better experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The great thing about being an anthropology and ancient studies major in Rome is that the whole city is your personal classroom! The professors definitely took advantage of the environment which made the courses much more engaging. The workload and grading system were about the same; very manageable with good planning.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The staff here was fantastic. They are easy to talk with, knowledgeable, very fun, and great at solving and and all problems quickly. They really care about spending time with students and getting to know them.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I lived in a mixed residential-commercial neighborhood not far from the city center with four other girls from the program. Everything was provided for us (linens, kitchen supplies, etc) which was great. We ran into a few problems like power outages, limited hot water, and cold rooms in the winter (heating could only be on for 6 hours a day) but we adjusted to all these things pretty quickly. It's all about learning to cope and make good use of what you're given.
* Food:	We had to buy all of our food ourselves. We have three grocery stores, a fresh market, and a plethora of pizza/suppli shops within walking distance, plus a few restaurants. It's definitely not hard to find good food in Rome, you just have to go looking. And definitely brush up on your cooking skills - it'll save you a lot of money.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	The staff planned a few great trips for us including a day trip to the Park of Monsters in Bomarzo and lunch at a nearby orchard. Everything was pre-paid, lunch was amazing, and it was really nice to get out of the city for the day. Plus it was pretty fun to hang out with the staff outside of school for a change. There was also an overnight trip to Florence and a day trip to Orvieto.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Definitely do not walk home alone at night and be conscious of your surrounding at all times - there were a few students in my program who were pick-pocketed here. Other than that, Rome is a pretty safe place. I didn't run into any medical issues myself but a few of my roommates did and, between CEA and our insurance, their issues were handled quickly and efficiently.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?
Language acquisition improvement?	The Beginning Italian class at CEA Rome is not exactly conducive to achieving a conversational level of Italian. I've picked up a few words and basic sentences but not as much as some of my friends in other, more intensive courses. It's been enough for me to get by but I wish I had spent more time talking with fluent speakers so I could have retained more.