Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I want to stay in Rome with the friends I made all four years of college. Past Review

By (Business, University of Georgia) - abroad from 08/24/2015 to 12/12/2015 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Rome, Italy

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that I can go into a completely new environment, knowing no one, and have the best time of my life. I met wonderful people, and made friends at the local places I went. Learning the ways of the Italian culture was so worthwhile, and I am so glad I came abroad.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The only thing I would recommend changing about the facility is to include a library or study area for the students. Living in Rome, the traffic is loud, and roommates can be even louder. I loved the courses I took, my teachers, and the class site visits though.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I liked how the trips organized by CEA required no planning on the part of the students. Lunches, activities, and hotels were booked for us, enabling the students to just enjoy seeing more of Italy.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

OUR APARTMENT WAS GORGEOUS. Located right next to the Vatican, our apartment was spacious and centrally located. It was about a twenty minute walk to class, but I would walk down the shopping street every day, people watching enjoying absorbing the Italian lifestyle.

* Food:

Pizza, pasta, and gelato lovers will love studying here. Going to the market was really easy; I found it cheap to buy my own fruits and vegetables and cook in our kitchen.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

As Americans, you do stand out from the Italians. Also, because Rome is a tourist city, many people speak English.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health issues.

* Safety:

I felt really safe in Rome. Even when the Paris bombings happened, CEA made sure all of it's students were safe and accounted for.

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)

Buying groceries is really cheap, and if you stay in Rome all the time then you will not even spend $100 a week on everything. However, traveling to different countries every weekend and shopping for clothes adds up. It just depends on how conscious you are.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $40$-70
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook at home, and eat out on the weekends. If you eat out all the time, it adds up. Cooking for yourself is really cheap.

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

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? none
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? Just study a little Italian every day, and by going out and experiencing Rome will improve your language skills.

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • 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?
  • the city of Rome
  • the friends I made
  • the teachers and activities planned
* What could be improved?
  • a library
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? This will be the best semester of your life. Explore, explore, explore. Do your work during the week so in the weekends you can travel. It is worth taking a cool art history course or theology course because they travel to really cool site visits around the city every single week!

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:

Beginning Italian
Course Department: Italian
Instructor: Elda
Instruction Language: Italian/English
Comments: I participated a lot in class because it was a smaller class than I would have received at home. We had a few handwritten assignments for homework, but the main two grades were the midterm and the final. Elda, my teacher was wonderful. She made learning Italian fun and easy, while incorporating practical and useful information I used while studying abroad.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues!