CEA Rome Past Review
By Lauren M (Management, Providence College) - abroad from 08/27/2013 to 12/14/2013 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Rome, Italy
I have had a great time while in Rome. I had no idea what I was getting into when I got here, but CEA Rome was a small, American program that genuinely cared about our time and experience in Italy. I enjoyed the small classes, like at my home institution, with other American students, so we were all on the same page and not lost in a crowd of people who had different educational backgrounds. CEA took us on several included trips, such as a Pizza and Gelato Crawl, to the Amalfi Coast (overnight), to Florence, to the St. Peters Dome Climb, and to a pasta making class (just to name a few), and they provided us with monthly metro passes, which helped us get around without it costing us extra. They immersed us in the culture by planning these events that we may not have experienced on our own. They have taken care of us as students and tourists in Rome. Overall, I am very happy I chose this program.
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. |
Classes were probably easier than at home, but it doesn't mean you can slack off. Papers and homework are still due, and the attendance policy is strict. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Very helpful, most were very open and friendly. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my apartment. However, all apartments are very different. We never faced any issues, but we are located far from other students. Other students had Wifi problems here and there and heating/hot water issues now that it is cold. |
| * Food: |
We're in Italy. Food is good and easy to access. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our program definitely helped us to get used to the local neighborhood and we had to take Italian. However, our program was all American students (which made me feel like it was an easier transition and everyone was on the same page when it came to classes), but we didn't immerse ourselves in the culture as much as we could have. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Most students were fine and went to a pharmacy for any problems. However, some students were very sick and went to a doctor who told them to stay home, but our program wouldn't excuse them from classes unless they went to the hospital (and we're only allowed so many unexcused absences). |
| * Safety: |
Prati is very very safe. However, when you go out (especially at night), don't be stupid, and you won't get pick pocketed. Some people had things stolen, but they were often distracted by an accomplice or had a phone in their pocket. |
| 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) |
Definitely save up. The conversion kills you. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | around $60-80 euro/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook as much as possible, rather than eating out. Fly discount airlines and stay in hostels. It's not bad, and it's an experience. |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | 0 |
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? | I wish I knew the set up of the apartments in relation to the location of other students and more about the program in terms of what it would be like. |
