An Unforgettable Journey to Roma with SAI Past Review
By Reed (Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics., Gustavus Adolphus College) - abroad from 09/03/2012 to 05/03/2013 with
SAI Study Abroad: Rome - John Cabot University (JCU)
so many new friends, memories, and stories i became a better traveller, a better student, and a better world citizen
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. |
engaged professors, large library, good facilities |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
3 extremely dedicated on-site staff, 24-hour emergency hotline, help with anything from classes to roommate conflicts to travel advice. served as translators for any purpose |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
nice, clean apartments in the heart of Trastevere. quick maintenance, standard appliances included |
| * Food: |
Italy. duh |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
plenty of opportunities to interact with Italians, but also easy to stay within your comfort zone and only hang out with Americans in the program |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
when my roommate was bitten by a dog, he was driven to the ER in minutes by an SAI staff member who stayed to translate another friend was provided with free counseling and anxiety medications |
| * Safety: |
very little violent crime in and around Trastevere. the only safety concern I witnessed was pickpocketing |
| 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) |
Rome is a bit pricey, but cheap groceries are certainly available |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | buy beer and wine at grocery stores and drink it in piazzas instead of spending money at bars |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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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 |
I rarely had the opportunity to speak Italian outside of the classroom |
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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* 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? | the variety of resources available to connect with locals and travellers: CouchSurfing, language exchange groups, expat sites |
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. |
