An Incredible Experience Past Review
By Cassie Z (Accounting, Pennsylvania State University - University Park) - abroad from 02/04/2013 to 05/24/2013 with
IES Abroad: Study Rome - Language & Area Studies
My experience abroad was 100% worthwhile. There is no better way to learn about yourself and the world around you than to immerse yourself directly into a foreign country out of your comfort zone and without your family and close friends from home to be with you every step of the way. I became almost fluent in the italian language and got to travel to countries that I had never been to before. I ate lots of great food. I learned a lot in my classes. I made friends that will last a lifetime and I am not just saying that. I made a core group of friends in Rome and we met up during the summer after returning from abroad and had another reunion during the fall at Penn State. The other Penn Staters that I met on the trip have become close friends of mine that I get together with often at school.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I really enjoyed the courses at IES. I learned a lot about Rome and it's history and I highly recommend taking classes with field studies because they take you on field trips around the city to museums and other sites that you normally wouldn't get to experience on your own. I also really improved my Italian spoken and written language and I liked that they evaluate you on the first day to place you in the right Italian class. The classes are a lot less demanding than the major classes you take at your home university so it's a nice break but you definitely have to study for midterms and finals at least. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All of the staff was really friendly and I felt that I could come to any of them with a question. The teachers loved what they taught so they were really enthusiastic about the topics. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My apartment was really great it was the perfect size for 5 girls. There were 2 students per room, one living/dining room, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. I have no complaints about the cleanliness. We had a few balconies overlooking the city which were really nice. There was no air conditioning and sometimes the hot water ran out but it never became a real problem. There are also no dryers for laundry there are only washing machines but they provide you with racks to dry your clothes on. There is also a tv in the apartment. |
| * Food: |
I love Italian food so I enjoyed every single meal that ate while I was in Rome. There are also a wide variety of Indian, Spanish and Japanese restaurants in Rome so don't think you are stuck always eating pizza and pasta. I highly recommend trying the smaller less touristy places because they have the best service and the best food. Of course the gelato and cannoli are great as well. Be adventurous! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated with the local culture and I think I give a lot of the credit to my Italian Student Companion (ISC) for immersing me and my roommates and our friends with her friends. She showed us around to local bars and restaurants from the beginning so we quickly knew our way around really well compared to the other students who didn't have an ISC. Just be outgoing! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had any health issues so I can't personally attest to the services but my friend had to have her appendix taken out the first week we arrived and she said that she was treated well. |
| * Safety: |
Overall, Rome has it's problems with petty crimes such as pick pocketing and I know a hand full of people who got various items stolen such as wallets and phones. I never got anything stolen from me because I remained attentive at all times. You just have to make sure not to keep valuables (wallets, phones, passports) in pockets of your backpack that you aren't able to watch at all times especially while in crowded places on the streets and especially on the metro and the bus. This is not a huge problem where you need to worry all the time but it is definitely something to keep in mind when in crowded areas. |
| 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) |
I don't think I spent more than 100 per week on food and going out. Meals and drinks are not very expensive and neither is transportation. It was definitely a good idea to go food shopping and cook more often because going out to dinner all the time would have been expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 100 or less. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Traveling to other countries costs the most so definitely look for the cheapest transportation and use all of the cheap flight and hotel sites that you can find. Stay in hostels wherever you can because they are filled with other students and people travelling around just like you. Definitely food shop and cook more often than you go out to eat but don't forget to explore restaurants too. |
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 |
A lot of the courses were taught in english but there was opportunity to take some classes in italian. Also in your italian language classes they always encourage use of the language they rarely speak english to you unless you need an explanation. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | A 400 level language 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 only way you can get better at Italian is to use it as much as possible. What better way to practice than while you are abroad. Don't be afraid to use it in restaurants and stores because the locals will appreciate it more than if you just go right to speaking english to them. Even if you don't think you know enough of the language anything is better than nothing, don't be shy! The locals would be in the same situation if they were travelling to America. Push yourself to speak with people when you go out at night and to the teachers at school. Push yourself during italian language class to learn as much as you can about the language and culture and use what you learn outside of class. |
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? | Better packing tips but I felt as though I was pretty well prepared for the changing weather. |
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. |
