An eye opening, life changing, unforgettable semester, The best of my life! Past Review
By A student (Saint Leo University) - abroad from 08/22/2017 to 12/09/2017 with
John Cabot University - Study Abroad in Rome, Italy
I learned alot of the language and a gained a valuable look into the different cultures and ideas from around the world.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were informative, however they were poorly formatted and the teachers were less than understanding of accommodations. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
They were really nice,they were updated and had laundry inside the apt. There were 24/7 security guards and halfway through the semester a grocery store opened up right downstairs. However work orders take a long time to be completed and the heat is rarely ever turned on. |
| * Food: |
I did not get a meal plan but there are many cheap options right around school. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My housing assignment was in a building where you would interact with the people who actually lived there. It was amazing and I learned a lot about the culture and how things are done. My roommate was also a full time Italian student at john Cabot. So we learned a lot about each others cultures. the Italians also love to stop and teach you anything you want to know about Italy. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
So I was sick for about a month and a half with one visit to the nurse on campus and one visit to the local hospital. the nurse on campus is really nice and will address any concerns you have. When I went to the hospital they treated me and it was an Ok experience, but there hospital was not as updated as an american hospital. the wait times are usually long and the only complaint I had was the language barrier they didn't have anyone who specifically translated, so all the speaking was done through broken English and what little Italian I knew. However they did treat me and gave me everything I needed to get better, and all prescriptions are discounted because of being a JCU student. |
| * Safety: |
The school itself takes all precautions to keep you safe. There are guards everywhere and they have you download an app that will give you real time updates on unsafe situations. Rome itself is pretty safe with the biggest issue I would say being theft. however I had walked into a protest more than once on accident. and the only times you would really notice anyone not liking Americans was when the united states made a decisions that the international country's did not agree with. Thats the only time I would say that its slightly more unsafe than normal. The biggest tip I can give incoming students is Never go somewhere alone after dark dont stay out too late and dont overdo it with the alcohol. they keep calling those the perfect trio. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I Had an amazing experience and whats better than studying in front of the Colosseum. |
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 would say somewhere between 150 and 200 would be right around where I spent. I also know people who spent way more and people who spent way less. It is just really dependent on what you want to do and what you want to get out of the experience. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | between 150 and 200 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Flights are usually cheaper than trains for some reason and dont eat out all the time because thats where alot of your money goes and hey, you have a kitchen so you might as well use it sometimes. |
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 |
They didnt really encourage it that much |
| 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 took Latin not Italian but It helped me alot |
| 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? | Duolingo the app is an amazing way to practice before you come. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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 theft was as big of a problem as it is and I wish I researched the city and program a little more than I did. |
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. |
