ISA Roma Past Review
By Nicolas M (Business Administration, Management and Operations., Arizona State University) for
ISA Study Abroad in Rome, Italy
It's cliche, but I will never look at foreign cultures the same after being immersed in them for 4 months. You do a lot of growing up while you're studying abroad, and I can't say enough about how many amazing experiences you'll have.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
ISA was structured enough to keep you on track and get you set up with excursions and cultural immersion, but they also gave you enough freedom that it never felt like they were babysitting you. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
This is Italy, so it was the best food in the world (but I'm a little biased). In all seriousness, I never had a bad meal the entire time I was there. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I highly recommend getting involved with sports or clubs at the school, because it is very fun and fulfilling and you get to meet a lot of great people. I don't think my study abroad experience would have been as memorable if I hadn't joined the AUR soccer team. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
If you're smart, you will never have to worry about safety concerns in Rome. Even taking the night buses alone and walking around the city both day and night on my own, I never once felt like I was in danger. |
| 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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
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| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Find a city/country that is not too far outside your comfort zone but also is not too close to home. My best experiences came from learning the culture and being put into sometimes challenging situations, and then overcoming those challenges. Studying abroad is very rewarding when you can go to a foreign country and learn a completely new world and lifestyle. |
