Past Review

By ANK (International Relations and Affairs., Tufts University) for

Temple University International Programs: Rome - Temple University in Rome

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned some random things about Italian culture...enough Italian to appease my parents and make it seem worthwhile. I made some great friends, but still feel disappointed at myself for not challenging myself academically or culturally by choosing a more rigorous program taught in a different language.

Personal Information

The term and year this program took place:	Fall 2008

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The only class I retained information from was probably Italian, and even then the amount of material that was covered in a semester while living daily life in Italian didn't seem sufficient. Most people in this program are not interested in learning Italian, even conversationally.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Some staff members were friendlier than others...the receptionist proved to be not so nice especially considering we were voting absentee, needed to use the fax machines etc etc. Way more complicated than it needed to be.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The apartments were in good condition, a little dated, but clean with a weekly maid service. My biggest complaint was the fact that most rooms were triples with bunk beds, and the lack of Italian students in the complex. The Residence was mainly Temple and John Cabot students. The area is nice, very central and close to the metro. <br /><br /> I wish I had done a homestay or found independent housing, living in the Residence can be a bit devoid of interaction with Rome, it was like living in an all freshman dorm, but noisier.
* Food:	It's Italy...you can't go wrong.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Once I found people that were willing to go to places outside the promoter sponsored parties at clubs and American sports bars, I found the nightlife was amazing.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I carried mace with me at night. I wouldn't walk alone as a girl
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

Finances

* 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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	A lot of money, most of it probably spent on cabs and pricey drinks at clubs, its possible to spend less but your nightlife options will be limited. Most people saved a lot on food, but I chose not to budget for food and wasn't disappointed, if you try to save you will end up eating pretty much the same things you eat in America or pasta, something that gets very boring very fast.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	The metro pass is 30 euros a month, but its worth it instead of buying individual passes that add up. But I'm really bad at budgeting, so everything was pretty much unanticipated for me.

Language

Language acquisition improvement?	I can barely remember any Italian now

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I went into the study abroad process looking to do a program that wouldn't involve a language requirement. It was hard to find one, and with good reason. I wouldn't recommend doing a program that doesn't require any prior language instruction, not for quality of daily life, but it tells a lot about the interest level of the students in the program. The majority of the people in the program had no interest in trying to learn Italian out of politeness to the locals, or had any interest in meeting and interacting with them. I wouldn't even call this program a 'party program' as I actually found drinking to be less of a scene than at Tufts, but then again, people were limited by being afraid to go out to new places, and resorted to drinking in the apartments. Most people traveled every weekend, and exploring the area was limited by this. If you choose this program and speak Italian, do a homestay or live with friends in the city. If not, be prepared to do a lot of work to get the full experience. I would say that even if you want something thats a break academically from Tufts, I would recommend finding a program that you have a background in the language. It will be that much more fulfilling to you at the end of the day to learn and be better integrated. I experienced this type of study abroad during my summer in Talloires, and will never forget the valuable experience it turned out to be, especially in light of the hands-off experience Temple in Rome turned out to be. Maybe I am just overly critical about doing this program after my amazing experience with a Tufts summer program, but it is what you make of it. You can make some of the best friends you will ever meet, but if you want culture you have to go out looking for it.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Contemporary Politics of the EU
Course Department:	PS 3535
Instructor:	Argentieri
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	My most entertaining teacher by far, but the course material was so unrelated to what was actually discussed in class that I feel like I didn't really benefit from being taught by such an expert in the area of Eastern European Studies. That being said, this class is less about the actual EU and more about potential member states and their history
Credit Transfer Issues:	No problems, still waiting on major approval

Course Name/Rating:	Art History of the Italian Early Renaissance
Course Department:	AH 32
Instructor:	Dabell
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Amazingly knowledgeable Professor, he has even guided Rick Steves around various Italian art museums. He is actually interested in his subject, and isn't looking for useless regurgitation of names, dates and artists unlike many of the other art history classes offered. If you can write well and make observant and concise remarks on style, you will do well. Highly recommended, the field trip to Florence was probably the highlight of this course.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Intro to Italian
Course Department:	Italian 001
Instructor:	Lucy De Logu
Instruction Language:	Italian?
Comments:	Amusing teacher, but not organized. Often showed up ten minutes late, which was really an introduction to Italian culture. The class was taught in Italian, which was hard as many students in the class were unable to keep up and we spent more time figuring out what words meant in English than learning new things.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Popular Culture in Modern Italian
Course Department:	Anthro?
Instructor:	Greg Smith
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Very funny teacher, probably one of the smartest I have met. He has his phd from Oxford, but he isn't condescending at all. His expectations are fairly low, any effort to participate or engage with the subject will earn you an amazing grade. This class isn't about 'modern' Italy, I don't think we got past the 1970's! I would recommend the sociology class instead, I heard the field trip was entertaining and sociology seems to be Smith's area of expertise.
Credit Transfer Issues:	None