A month was not long enough Past Review
By Chief E (Spanish and Economics, Wofford College) - abroad from 01/06/2015 to 01/30/2015 with
IES Abroad: Rome January Term - From Pontius Pilate to Theodosius: The Advent of Christianity
My time in Rome, Italy was unlike any other experience I have had in my life. Although I was only there for a month, I felt like it was the perfect amount of time to get a taste of the Italian culture. The IES Rome program helped me learn about a new culture and field of academics. The program was based around the art and history of the Christian faith, an area that I had never thoroughly studied in high school or college. However, the professor for my class made sure that everyone was able to understand the material, whether we had an extensive background in the subject or not. What was also helpful was that we were able to not only see these monuments on a PowerPoint slideshow, but also go and visit places like the Vatican, significant historical churches in the area, and other cities in Italy that were a major part of Christianity’s history. The class was truly insightful and I learned in both a hands on and classroom environment. The cultural aspect of the program was also enjoyable. I lived in an apartment right in the city, only ten minutes away from the Vatican. I was also able to live with three other students from my college and our fifth roommate was an Italian student who worked with the IES program. It was helpful to have an Italian student with us because if we did not know where to go, needed suggestions on places to eat, or wanted to go and see some of the iconic areas of Rome, he was able to guide us or at least tell us which direction to go. I picked up some Italian phrases along the way and felt comfortable to walk around the city after a little over a week. Being able to immerse myself with the Italian culture was phenomenal and I was not as overwhelmed after I was routinely getting out of my comfort zone. The IES Rome program was a fantastic experience and it was made that much more enjoyable due to the help of the staff around us.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The class was insightful and enjoyable although it is hard to compare to a standard college course. We would have in class days and Field Study days where we would go into Rome and get to see the monuments, churches, and other things that we were learning about in class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IES Rome staff is fantastic. They are extremely helpful and are there to make sure you have the best experience possible, so feel free to ask them about anything if you need help. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The apartment I lived in was spacious enough for five people to live comfortably. |
| * Food: |
It is all spectacular. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
With the help of the Italian student, who worked with IES, that lived with us, I felt that I was able to get along with the culture well. With his help we were able to learn about how to interact with people from around the city on a daily basis. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Although not many health issues came about, if any did it was handled quickly and efficiently. |
| * Safety: |
Safety was not too big of an issue as long as you are with a group or with, at least, one other person. |
| 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) |
It was relatively easy to live on a student's budget, a small part of it comes from how strong the Euro is whenever you visit. I think being able to experience everything you want to while in Rome is very doable on a student's budget. |
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? | 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? | I had never had Italian prior to the course |
| 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? | The staff of IES and the student that lives with you are more than welcome to help you learn the necessary phrases to get by in Italy when you arrive. If you want to get started prior to the program, small exercises and apps on phones are usually helpful. |
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? | That learning Italian can be a bit tricky |
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. |
