Studying Aboard in Rome: A life changing experience Past Review
By Daniela C (Pace University) - abroad from 01/09/2012 to 05/07/2012 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Rome, Italy
What I enjoyed the most was being able to travel to different countries and although everything was so close the culture changes so much. Being aboard was so different from anything I've experienced so it gave me the opportunity to learn more about myself and become more independent.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | CEA Global Education and John Cabot University |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Overall, the program staff was very friendly and always at your disposal to answer any questions. Since the primary language is not English they were more than happy to help me on speaking Italian. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my apartment! It was very spacious and although there were occasional problems they where all minor and the landlord was able to fix them right away. My apartment was close to the city center and walking distance from my university making it very convenient. |
| * Food: |
Food was delicious. The only downside was most restaurants serve only Italian food so after four months of Italian food it can get a bit tiring. The supermarkets usually have a descent selection of different foods. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
I found it easy to budget myself. It really depends on how much you want to spend for the whole semester. I would say about $75-$100 a week it depends if you want to travel more or explore more the city your living in. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75-$100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would suggest going out to restaurants less and cooking more at home. When traveling during the weekends maybe go to the supermarket and get fruits and snacks. That way you don't spend too much on restaurants. Also hostels are cheaper but do your research first not all hostels are the same. |
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 |
It really depends on you. At least in my host country most people know English, but if you really want to learn more about the culture and be fully immerse try to speak English as minimal as possible. |
| 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? | two semesters of italian |
| 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? | Bring a english- ___ dictionary. It's helpful to practice a few practical phrases before hand. Mingle with locals and ask your professors aboard if they might know anyone interested in language exchange. |
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? |
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? | The semester I spent studying aboard felt so perfect there really isn't much that I would change. However, I do wish I would have brought warmer clothes. The winter was a bit colder than I had anticipated. |
