Best Four Months! Past Review
By Olivia (Indiana University - Bloomington) - abroad from 09/03/2018 to 12/14/2018 with
IES Abroad: Study Rome - Language & Area Studies
The biggest thing I learned while abroad was to live in the present. At home I tend to always think about what I am going to do in the future or I get stuck in the past. Studying abroad showed me how to live in the moment and take time to "stop and smell the roses".
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. |
The classes were engaging, but not too challenging |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff was super helpful and assisted with any problems or questions I had |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My housing was one of the best features of the program. I was located in the perfect location and placed with amazing roommates. |
| * Food: |
Who doesn't love an unlimited access to fresh pasta? |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
In order to integrate you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and be independent. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
While abroad I broke my foot and had to make several visits to a hospital. Getting used to a different healthcare system was challenging, but my program was there to assist with translating and any questions I had. |
| * Safety: |
Overall I felt extremely safe in Rome. IES informs you of certain areas to avoid, but make sure to also educate yourself on the different areas of the city and have someone to go out with you. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
My program assisted me with any challenges but gave me the perfect amount of independence to immerse in the culture. |
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) |
Rome was as expensive as I though it was going to be, but if you want to take advantage of opportunities such as certain museums, soccer games, or going out make sure you budget accordingly. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | food- $50, other expenses- $20 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Start saving as soon as you can. Talk to people that have been there to understand the cost of food. A lot of opportunities such as traveling and events in the city will pop up, so make sure you have extra money to take advantage of them. It's okay to say no to certain things if you don't have the money or aren't particularly interested in them and everyone else is. |
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 program encouraged me to use Italian but we were not forced to use it. Classes focused more on conversational Italian, which helped when going out and wanting to communicate with the locals. |
| 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? | One semester of 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? | Start practicing before you leave, practice it when you're there every chance you get (such as ordering at a restaurant), find someone that's around the same level, or a little more advanced than you, and try to have a conversation with them everyday. |
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 would have done more research on places to travel throughout Italy. I knew I would have time to explore Rome and visit other countries, but before I left I didn't know much about that many other places in Italy. |
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. |
