Absolutely Incredible! Past Review

By sydney J (Kinesiology and Exercise Science., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo) - abroad from 08/26/2014 to 12/04/2014 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Rome, Italy

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

I learned so many things about myself and how big this world actually is. We all live in our comfort bubble in the United States and I learned so much about different cultures and the world.

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.	My program's standards for education was slightly too high for study abroad students. I had a hard time enjoying some of my time and trips, knowing how much homework and studying I had, especially at the university associated with CEA. (John Cabot University)
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Although the administration at CEA was very very nice they were unorganized and most of the time unhelpful with simple situations.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Our apartment was very nice but anytime we had any small issues, like an infestation of ants, or our power going out 3-4 times a day, CEA was unhelpful in helping to fix these problems for us. Also they should take the surveys that they made us fill out into consideration when placing roommates. Every apartment had a mix of people with different tendencies for going out, staying up late, or studying. It caused many disagreements all across the program.
* Food:	The food was amazing!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I felt like my friends and I integrated ourselves into to local culture and made many friends with locals in the areas surrounding our apartment. Also on every weekend trip we did we made it a requirement to find the most authentic restaurants and experiences.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	My program didnt help much when I needed advice, but I found the pharmacies that are able to diagnose and prescribe when necessary. Also many of the pharmacists spoke english!
* Safety:	I always felt safe in Rome. Although its a big city I never had any issues. After I learned that all the men who would yell at us were truly harmless and that was just their culture, I had no problems.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

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)	It was relatively easy to budget. I learned to spend hardly any money during the week and save it for my weekend trips! I would buy cheap vegetables from the local markets for dinner all week and then enjoy my weekends more with more money.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	I would suggest saving alot of your money for your trips. You want to be able to experience the world and not miss out because you went shopping too much during the week or spent too much on going out. Also it is worth it to spend money on things that you really want. The worst feeling is to regret not doing something because you were budgeting. When else will you get to spend 4 months in Europe with your friends again in your life?

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	They encouraged us to speak to locals, especially my great Italian teacher, Elda Francia.
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
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	I didnt take any
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?	You need to make friends that speak the native language. Although it is hard, many of them love to talk to you! They want to practice their english and will help you with the language.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	International Students
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?	Rome The food The friends
* What could be improved?	Roommate selection Helpfulness of administrators a place for everyone to hangout
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	There are multiple things I wish I knew. I had no idea when i went that half the program would be from Providence college. I ended up being good friends with them, but when i came I was under the impression that no one would know each other but instead most of the program was already best friends. I wish I had known the difficulty of John Cabot classes as well and how much time my classes would take up.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Avid Adventurer The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Angels and Demons
Course Department:
Instructor:	Alexandra Massini
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course was challenging but having the opportunity to visit so many amazing places every week made it worth it! There were so many places I would not have know about myself. We were assessed by exams, a paper and a presentation. Professor Massini did her best to make the class relatable and I really enjoyed her class.
Credit Transfer Issues: