AMAZING BUT TOO SHORT! October 10, 2022
By Gina C (Social Work, Providence College) - abroad from 05/16/2022 to 06/13/2022 with
CIEE: Summer in Rome
Being abroad gave me a sense of independence and who I am. I got to step out of my comfort zone and be in a new setting which can be terrifying!
Review Photos
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. |
I loved my courses. The Italian class I took was honestly a bit overwhelming at first but it was so fun. We had to act out and participate and take what we learned and use it in cafes and other field trips so it was useful and immersed us with locals! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
CIEE made the transition abroad very comfortable. We went over rules, protocols and introductions the very first day. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Overall our housing was very adequate. We lived right near the Vatican and were able to be immersed in the Italian culture. Our other friends apartment was more modern which was nice too. |
| * Food: |
5/5. Italian food was phenomenal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt so integrated. We were immersed with location and outings. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had pink eye abroad and contacting the CIEE doctor was easy and gaining the medication was cheap and available by bringing the prescription to any pharmacy nearby. Having my COVID vaccine made it comfortable to travel with no worries. |
| * Safety: |
Overall, I never felt unsafe. It was a lot different than the US where you can walk around late at night and not worry! Some safety advice is making sure to be careful for pickpocketers. Make sure nothing is in pockets especially back ones and try to avoid big backpacks or purses on public transport that is not held at chest length. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would do this over and over again. Everything about this abroad program I truly loved and I was able to make so many friends. |
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) |
Around 2.5. Because food is not required with the program we had to get all of our food out or buy groceries to cook. It was definitely reasonable though since food there is cheap and we knew this going in ahead of time. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Food wise, about 160 per week. Other expenses including necessities, going shopping, transportation, site seeing obviously increased the cost. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you go in with converted money so you do not lose as much! It is much easier than you think to lose track of money, so try to have a budget each week and save a good 1-200 for emergencies. |
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 |
The course was optional, but everything we learned in class was useful to daily living in Italian culture. We were encouraged to use it by taking us on trips to local stores, cafes, etc to try and use it with help nearby incase, to feel more comfortable when we are alone. |
| 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 took Spanish in high school, but 0 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? | Get Duolingo / Rosetta Stone beforehand. This helps just with basics that you could need when locals can not understand you and you need help in public places. |
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? | I wish I knew about my course not being credited, but I also wish I knew more of the kids beforehand! |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Rome Through Cinema |
| Course Department: | Fine Arts |
| Instructor: | N/A |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The course accentuated the history of Italian film. The teacher was so inclusive and everything we learned we got to try when we created our own film. I think I participated more in class because it was much more inclusive and less lecture based than at home which I loved. We had weekly quizzes that showed our knowledge from what we learned that week. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Yes, unfortunately. They said it was not vigorous enough even though I thought it was, but I think also because it was short they did not approve. Make sure you check beforehand is my advice. |
